Clicks is more valuable than Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Spar combined.
Clicks and Dis-Chem are South Africa’s top destinations for cosmetics and healthcare products.
Shoppers mostly rely on the two for variety and specials.
While the two almost mirror each other in terms of products, services and prices, Clicks remains the biggest, almost three times as big as Dis-Chem.
Clicks was founded in 1968 by Jack Goldin, while Dis-Chem was founded 10 years later in 1978 by Ivan and Lynette Saltzman. Both retail stores are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
Using market capitalisation, Clicks is bigger than Dis-Chem. Market capitalisation is the total value of a company’s shares on the stock market. This shows how big or valuable the market thinks the company is. It is calculated by multiplying the share price by the total number of outstanding shares.
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Clicks reigns supreme
Clicks was listed on the JSE in 1996, way earlier than Dis-Chem. As of Monday Midday, Clicks’ market capitalisation reached more than R84 billion.
Making it more valuable than Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Spar combined. The three market capitalisations combined are R70.43 billion. Pick n Pay is R19.60 billion, Boxer is R30.53 billion, and Spar is R20.30 billion.
Clicks operates more than 945 stores, with more than 730 in-store pharmacies. According to the group’s financial results for the six months ending 28 February 2025, its turnover increased by 6.2% to R23.2 billion.
More profit for Clicks
The results also revealed that Clicks’ profit increased during the period.
“Group trading profit increased by 12.6% to R2.1 billion and the group’s trading margin increased by 60 basis points to 9.1%,” read the results.
The group’s permanent employee number increased to 19 729 during the period. While in 2024 it was 18 741.
According to the 2024 annual financial statement for the group, its CEO, Bertina Engelbrecht, received an annual salary of more than R10 million, while her variable pay was worth more than R22 million.
Variable pay is a short-term incentive and a performance-based long-term incentive. In total, her remuneration cost the group more than R33 million. In the same period, staff salaries and wages cost the group R4 billion.
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Dis-Chem opens more stores
Dis-Chem was listed on the JSE in 2016, and as of midday on Monday, its market capitalisation reached more than R28 billion.
Dis-Chem opened its 300th pharmacy store in early September, exceeding the target it set when it was getting listed.
“The 300th store is a significant milestone when compared to the 101 stores at the time of listing in 2016, where we committed to doubling the number of outlets within eight years,” said CEO Rui Morais.
“Since embarking on our focused property strategy, we have opened nearly 40 new doors in 18 months, a rate which is notably higher than our historical running rate, and one that will continue to accelerate as new store pipeline converts to store openings.”
Dis-Chem to add more financial advisors
Dis-Chem’s strategy also includes adding to the number of financial advisors it already has.
“The group is expanding the number of financial advisors, currently available in 34 stores, and will expand to 180 stores by February 2026.”
According to the group’s financial results for the year ended 28 February 2025, Morais received an annual salary of R13 million, while his variable pay was worth more than R7 million.
Variable pay encompasses both short-term incentives and long-term incentives. In total, her remuneration cost the group more than R20 million.
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