Aussies continue to spend on fitness despite living-cost pressures weighing on households, results from Rebel Sport’s owner shows.
Super Retail, which also owns Supercheap Auto, Macpac, and BCF, grew its total sales 3.2 per cent to $4.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, while operating profit increased 2.1 per cent to $774 million.
Rebel was the crown jewel, with sales growth of 4.5 per cent to $1.4 billion, as Aussies splurged on sports equipment, accessories and recovery aids.
The group delivered a solid full-year result, managing director and chief executive Paul Bradshaw said.
“Achieving record sales in the face of significant headwinds that included geopolitical instability in the Middle East, unfavourable weather and increasing interest rate pressure on households,” he said.
“In my first nine months as CEO, I have seen firsthand the commitment of our 15,500 team members and their ability to respond quickly to external challenges to our business.”
After a positive first half, the Middle East fuel crisis disrupted transport and sent prices higher, while a series of interest rate rises also weighed on consumer confidence.
Warmer than average winters in Victoria and NSW also led to a 4.2 per cent slump in like-for-like sales at Macpac in the second half.
The fuel crisis had a two-stage effect on consumers, but Supercheap Auto had been well-positioned as households looked to maintain existing assets, Mr Bradshaw said.
“Once we got over the shock of the war and the impact on fuel, then we saw a change, and consumers were probably less in their leisure activity, but certainly taking care of the vehicles they’ve got,” he said.
The group’s statutory net profit after tax came in at $206 million, down 7.2 per cent on the previous year as it continued to grow, opening 28 new stores and closing 13.
Investors and analysts were impressed with the result, as the $306 million pre-tax profit beat consensus estimates by seven per cent.
Super Retail shares rocketed 16 per cent higher in early trade, buoyed by the result and rebounding after soft performances from JB Hi-Fi and Temple and Webster dragged on the broader sector earlier in the week.
Rebel produced the strongest sales growth, up 4.5 per cent for the year, followed by Supercheap Auto (+3.9 per cent), Macpac (+3.5 per cent) and BFC (+0.2 per cent).
The group announced a final dividend of 33 cents per share, taking the total payout for the year to 65 cents per share, coming in at the upper end of forecasts.
Leadership didn’t provide forward guidance, but the first seven weeks of 2026/27 had been mixed, with total sales up 3.5 per cent, while Macpac grossed 10.2 per cent less than a year earlier.
Australian Associated Press is the beating heart of Australian news. AAP is Australia’s only independent national newswire and has been delivering accurate, reliable and fast news content to the media industry, government and corporate sector for 85 years. We keep Australia informed.
