South African food and fashion retailer Woolworths Holdings Ltd reported a 75.1% jump in half-year earnings on Wednesday, buoyed by festive demand as shoppers returned to physical stores, particularly in Australia after lockdowns were lifted.

Woolworths said headline earnings per share (HEPS) rose to 294.5 cents in the six months ended on Dec. 25, up from 168.2 cents in the prior year. HEPS is the main profit measure in South Africa. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Tom Hogue)