Business

Major retailer in South Africa planning to reach 1,200 stores

Jonathan Hoyle

 ·22 Oct 2026

Clicks is working to expand its presence in South Africa, having opened 41 new stores in the last year and planning to reach 1,200 outlets in the medium term.

In its latest financial year, which ended on 31 August 2026, the retail giant saw its turnover and earnings per share increase amid a difficult economic environment.

The group noted that consumer spending has been muted recently, amid increasing living costs and interest rates in South Africa.

Clicks said the last financial year had been “an environment of constrained consumer spending and
aggressive competitor discounting”.

It noted that its retail turnover had been constrained by a mix of low selling-price inflation, more items being discounted, and logistics challenges.

“Retail turnover was constrained by low selling price inflation, increased promotional activity and delays in implementing the warehouse management system at the Cape Town distribution centre,” it said.

Several South African companies have noted lower consumer discretionary spending recently, as higher fuel prices and interest rates put pressure on households.

Despite the constrained operating environment, Clicks has continued to expand its footprint in South Africa.

The group added 41 stores and 60 pharmacies to its retail presence in the last financial year, with more new outlets planned.

Within the 60 newly opened pharmacies, four were specialised 24-hour pharmacies, part of the group’s subsidiary Unicare.

The group now has 1,110 stores across the country.

The expansion has helped Clicks capture a larger market share in the pharmacy sector in the past year, increasing by 0.6%.

“Clicks continued to expand its retail footprint, opening a net 41 stores and 60 pharmacies, and increased its retail pharmacy market share to 24.7% from 24.1% in the prior year,” the group said.

In the next financial year, the company said it plans to open between 40 and 50 new stores in line with its medium-term growth goals.

“Clicks plans to open 40 to 50 new stores in the 2027 financial year and remains committed to its medium-term target of 1,200 stores,” it said.

“The group also plans to roll out 10 to 15 UniCare specialised pharmacies and expand its new KwaMakhi neighbourhood convenience brand.”

Earnings are up

In the year ended 31 August 2026, Clicks grew its revenue to over R54 billion, with its profit for the year also rising.

The group reported a profit of R3.3 billion for the year, 2.6% higher than the previous year’s R3.2 billion.

The company’s turnover exceeded R50 billion for the year, up 5.4% from R47.8 billion in the previous reporting period.

For investors, this growth in revenue and profits translated into earnings per share of 1419.8 cents, 4.2% higher than the 2025 financial year.

The group also reported Headline Earnings Per Share (HEPS) of 1,421.7 cents, with headline earnings reaching R3.3 billion.

Looking ahead, Clicks said it expects the retail operating environment to remain constrained due to consumer cost pressures.

The group said it expects “sustained discounting as consumers continue to face significant pressure from rising fuel prices and higher interest rates, which will further constrain household spending.”

It said it would continue to support its growth through its subsidiaries, which include Sorbet, Unicare, KwaMakhi, and ARC.

Clicks recently grew its stake in ARC stores to a majority ownership, aiming to expand its presence in the beauty market.

This acquisition was announced after Clicks’ latest financial year and is still subject to regulatory approval.

Clicks financial results for 2026