date:Aug 21, 2014
markets, which account for about 75 per cent of the companys annual revenue, are helping the group ride out writedowns and charges at its liquor and department store networks, as well as weakness in its coal and chemicals units as a mining investment boom in Australia slows. The cash return, Wesfarmers second in 12 months, indicates the dearth of investment opportunities seen by the company, which carried out Australias biggest takeover with its A$18 billion acquisition of Coles Group Ltd in 200