Kiwi retailer reports improving top-line trends in the second half of its financial year.

 

Warehouse Stationery, part of The Warehouse Group, reported revenue of NZ$226 million, a decline of 2.5 per cent and a same-store decrease of 3.2 per cent.

 

Same-store sales edged up by 0.6 per cent in the final quarter.

 

The print and create category grew by 7.2 per cent, driven by an expansion of personalised gifting options and increasing customer demand for digital printing. 

 

Back-to-school at the start of this calendar year also benefited from improved in-store service; this drove stronger engagement with schools, resulting in 80 new partnerships.

 

Categories such as office furniture and technology remained under pressure. The BizRewards membership channel – which has 12,000 active customers – also underperformed as SMB customers pulled back on spending.

 

Warehouse Group chairperson, Dame Joan Withers, said economic and retail conditions in New Zealand remain “extremely challenging”. 

 

“Unemployment and inflation remain comparatively high, and consumer confidence is down, putting further pressure on discretionary spending and intensifying retail competition. Against that backdrop, The Warehouse Group held its top line, improved sales in the second half, and made meaningful progress on cost control,” she said.