Chemist Warehouse sales up 12.1% in Australia as Sigma updates market at AGM
Sigma Healthcare (ASX: SIG) released a Chemist Warehouse trading update on 21 October 2026, ahead of its Annual General Meeting. The company said the update for Chemist Warehouse (CW) branded stores demonstrates continued progress in executing its growth strategy.
Australian CW branded store sales rose 12.1% from 1 July 2026 to 16 October 2026, with like-for-like (LFL) sales up 9.8%. International sales grew 30.2%, with LFL growth of 15.8%, for 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026.
| Network | Period | Sales growth | LFL growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian store network | 1 July 2026 to 16 October 2026 | 12.1% | 9.8% |
| International store network* | 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026 | 30.2% | 15.8% |
*International sales reflect constant currency.
Growth in both networks is in double digits. For investors, the figures give a year-to-date read on CW branded store trading.
Vikesh Ramsunder, Managing Director and CEO
“We have a clear plan, strong momentum and significant opportunities still ahead…”
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What is driving growth and where softness sits
Defensive categories hold firm
Sigma described its business model as “very defensive and resilient.” It pointed to strong performances in less discretionary categories, including beauty, healthcare and GLP-1 supporting products.
The company said growth is encouraging as it has now cycled the initial structural uplift from the introduction of GLP-1 sales.
Discretionary softness acknowledged
Some discretionary categories, such as ladies’ fragrances, vitamins and supplements, are experiencing softness as consumers adjust their buying behaviours in line with cost-of-living pressures. Sigma noted this is consistent with its FY26 results presentation.
GLP-1 explained: why oral formulations matter
GLP-1 medicines are used in weight management and diabetes care. Sigma has cited GLP-1 supporting products among its stronger-performing categories.
The company anticipates oral GLP-1 formulations to enter the market in the second half of the 2027 financial year, to further enhance accessibility for patients and sales growth for its network. Wider patient access could add a further sales driver for pharmacy traffic.
Network expansion runway and first-half outlook
Sigma said it remains on track to onboard the following in the first half:
- 14 Chemist Warehouse stores in Australia
- 42 Amcal and Discount Drug Stores in Australia
- 19 stores internationally
Its global pharmacy network is approaching 1,000 stores. The Australian CW network still represents less than 10 per cent of the country’s more than 5,900 community pharmacy licences.
According to Sigma, this opportunity to keep growing the CW branded store network, together with the revitalisation of Amcal and Discount Drug Stores, provides a “meaningful runway for disciplined domestic growth.”
For the balance of the first half, Sigma expects CW branded store sales to deliver double-digit sales growth consistent with this trading update. The company said it now enters the important Christmas trading period and that its retail network is well prepared.
The double-digit trading momentum follows the FY26 full year results, where normalised EBIT rose 20.6% to $1.09 billion and management guided to continued double-digit revenue and earnings growth into the first half of FY27.
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