Dis-Chem Pharmacies Limited announced unaudited consolidated earnings results for the six months ended August 31, 2018. For the period, the company reported revenue of ZAR 10,464,943,000 as compared to ZAR 9,568,612,000 for the same period last year. Operating profit was ZAR 705,001,000 as compared to ZAR 650,974,000 for the same period last year. Profit before taxation was ZAR 628,337,000 as compared to ZAR 565,402,000 for the same period last year. Profit attributable to equity holders of the parent was ZAR 445,011,000 as compared to ZAR 402,877,000 for the same period last year. Basic and diluted earnings per share were 51.7 cents as compared to ZAR 46.8 cents for the same period last year. Cash flow from operating activities was ZAR 384,671,000 as compared to ZAR 187,061,000 for the same period last year. Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets were ZAR 37,466,000 as compared to ZAR 41,305,000 for the same period last year.

For the fiscal year 2019, the Group expects full-year earnings per share ("EPS") to be between 92.3 cents and 98.7 cents implying an increase of between 16% and 24%, compared to the EPS of 79.6 cents for the 12 months ended February 28, 2018. Earnings growth is expected to improve in the second half of the financial year as the benefits of the higher SEP granted in March 2017 predominantly impacts the base for the interim results to August 31, 2018. The company continues to expect to break even at an EBITDA level in the Wholesale division for the fiscal year 2019 period. This will be driven by additional scale on the back of internal and independent pharmacy sales growth as the company access new markets as a result of newly invested warehouse space.