Leslie Massey
Wesfarmers Limited is an Australian conglomerate headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It is one of Australia's largest companies by revenue, with diverse businesses spanning retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial and safety products. Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers and was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1984. Today, it has grown into a major retail conglomerate with businesses predominantly in Australia and New Zealand. It is one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 107,000 employees and annual revenue exceeding AUD$30 billion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of company | Conglomerate |
| Ownership | Publicly listed company with open ownership |
| Headquarters | Perth, Western Australia |
| Year founded | 1914 |
| Initial business model | Cooperative |
| Areas of operation | Retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial and safety products |
| Countries of operation | Australia and New Zealand |
| Number of employees | 107,000-120,000 |
| Revenue | AUD$30 billion-AUD$43.5 billion |
| Brands owned | Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart, Target, Officeworks, Priceline Pharmacy, Catch.com.au, Geeks2U, Wespine, BWP Trust, Coles Group |
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What You'll Learn
Wesfarmers is an Australian conglomerate
Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. It was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1984 and grew into a major retail conglomerate. The company has since diversified its interests by acquiring other businesses.
Wesfarmers owns some of Australia's most iconic brands, including Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart, Target, Officeworks, Priceline Pharmacy, and Catch.com.au. Bunnings, a home improvement and outdoor living retailer, has been a part of Wesfarmers since 1994 and currently has over 500 stores across Australia and New Zealand. Kmart, another Wesfarmers subsidiary, operates 324 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand and serves millions of customers annually. Officeworks, a chain of office supplies stores, has over 160 stores and more than 9,000 employees across Australia.
Wesfarmers also has interests in other sectors, including chemicals, energy, fertilisers, industrial and safety products, and gas processing and distribution. The company has a diverse range of businesses spanning home improvement, outdoor living products, general merchandise, apparel, office and technology products, health and beauty products, and more.
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Wesfarmers' history and growth
Wesfarmers is an Australian conglomerate headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. The company was initially known as Westralian Farmers Co-operative Limited and was formed by the Farmers' and Settlers' Association of Western Australia to acquire the assets of the West Australian Producers' Union.
In 1984, Wesfarmers restructured from a cooperative to a public company and was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). At the time of its listing, the cooperative retained 60% of the ordinary shares, ensuring that the farmer members maintained control, while the remaining shares were distributed to its members.
Over the years, Wesfarmers has diversified its interests by acquiring various businesses. In 1994, it gained full ownership of Bunnings Warehouse, an Australian hardware and garden centre chain. Wesfarmers has also expanded its portfolio to include well-known brands such as Kmart, Target, Officeworks, Priceline Pharmacy, and Catch.com.au.
Wesfarmers has a significant presence in Australia and New Zealand, with interests in retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial, and safety products. It is one of Australia's largest private sector employers, with approximately 107,000 to 120,000 employees and over 495,000 shareholders. The company has consistently generated substantial revenue, with A$43.5 billion in the 2023 financial year.
Wesfarmers has also been involved in several notable transactions, including the largest successful takeover in Australian corporate history when it purchased the Coles Group retail business for $22 billion in 2007. Additionally, Wesfarmers has undertaken significant transformation projects, such as the integration of Kmart, Target, and Catch.com.au under the Kmart Group banner.
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Wesfarmers' diverse businesses
Wesfarmers is an Australian conglomerate headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It has diverse business operations and owns some of Australia's most iconic brands.
Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. Over the years, it has diversified its interests by acquiring other businesses. It is now one of Australia's largest companies, with annual revenue of more than AUD$30 billion and approximately 107,000 employees.
The company's diverse business operations cover a wide range of industries, including home improvement and outdoor living, apparel and general merchandise, office supplies, chemicals, energy and fertilisers, and industrial and safety products.
Some of the well-known brands owned by Wesfarmers include Bunnings Warehouse, a leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products in Australia and New Zealand, with over 500 stores and 53,000 employees. Wesfarmers also owns Kmart, a discount department store retailer with over 300 stores in Australia and New Zealand, employing more than 42,000 people.
Another one of Wesfarmers' diverse businesses is Officeworks, a chain of office supplies stores with over 160 locations and 9,000 employees across Australia. Officeworks also owns Geeks2U, a provider of on-site IT repairs and support. Wesfarmers has interests in other businesses, such as Target, a mid-level department store retailer in Australia, and Catch.com.au, an online retailer.
Wesfarmers has also ventured into international markets, acquiring the British home improvement retailer Homebase in 2016 and rebranding stores in the UK and Ireland as Bunnings. The company has a presence in various industries and continues to grow and diversify its operations.
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Wesfarmers' largest takeover
Wesfarmers Limited is an Australian conglomerate headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It has interests predominantly in Australia and New Zealand, operating in retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial, and safety products. Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. It is one of Australia's largest companies by revenue, generating A$43.5 billion in the 2023 financial year. It is also one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 107,000 employees.
Wesfarmers has a long history of acquisitions and takeovers, but its largest and most notable takeover was that of the Coles Group retail business. On July 2, 2007, Wesfarmers announced its intention to purchase Coles Group for $22 billion, making it the largest successful takeover in Australian corporate history. Wesfarmers took control of Coles on November 23, 2007, after paying nearly $20 billion for the company. At the time of the acquisition, Coles operated 756 full-service supermarkets, 810 liquor outlets, 92 hotels, and 636 fuel and convenience stores. The purchase also included Kmart and Target, further expanding Wesfarmers' presence in the retail sector.
Prior to the Coles Group acquisition, Wesfarmers had made significant purchases that contributed to its growth. In 1949, they acquired Ashburton Transport, followed by the acquisition of its competitor, Gascoyne Trading Company (GTC), in 1950. Wesfarmers combined the operations of these transport companies to supply the northwest of Western Australia. Over the years, GTC grew to become the largest transport operator in Western Australia.
Another notable acquisition by Wesfarmers was that of Bunnings Warehouse, a leading retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products in Australia and New Zealand. Wesfarmers acquired Bunnings in 1994, and today, Bunnings operates over 200 stores across Australia and New Zealand, employing more than 33,000 staff. Bunnings has become an iconic brand in Australia, with a market share of around 50% in the DIY sector.
In addition to these major acquisitions, Wesfarmers has also expanded its portfolio through the purchase of other well-known brands such as Kmart, Target, Officeworks, Priceline Pharmacy, and Catch.com.au. Wesfarmers has transformed supply chain strategies to drive efficiency and scalability across its operations, solidifying its position as one of the largest and most influential companies in Australia.
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Wesfarmers' shareholders and listing
Wesfarmers is an Australian conglomerate headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It has interests predominantly in Australia and New Zealand, operating in retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial, and safety products. Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a cooperative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers.
In 1984, Westralian Farmers Co-operative Limited formed Wesfarmers Limited, restructuring from a cooperative to a public company. It was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on 15 November 1984. Initially, the cooperative retained 60% of the ordinary shares, ensuring that the cooperative's farmer members maintained control, while the remainder was distributed to its members. Wesfarmers is listed on the ASX with the listing code 'WES'.
Wesfarmers is one of Australia's largest companies by revenue, generating A$43.5 billion in the 2023 financial year. It is also one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 107,000 employees. Wesfarmers owns several iconic brands, including Bunnings Warehouse, Kmart, Target, Officeworks, Priceline Pharmacy, and Catch.com.au.
Wesfarmers has diversified business operations, including home improvement, outdoor living products, building materials, general merchandise, and apparel. It has various segments, such as the Bunnings Group, Kmart Group, Officeworks, Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers (WesCEF), and Health. Wesfarmers has been involved in numerous acquisitions and divestments over the years, including the purchase of the Coles Group retail business in 2007 and the sale of its coal business in 2018.
Wesfarmers' shareholders include substantial shareholders, who own 5% or more of the voting shares, and top 20 shareholders, as listed on the Market Index. The company's share price, stock chart, and announcements can be found on the Market Index website, along with information on its substantial shareholders and insider trades.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Wesfarmers is Australian-owned. It was founded in 1914 as a Western Australian farmers' cooperative and is now one of the country's largest companies, with revenue of A$43.5 billion in the 2023 financial year.
Wesfarmers owns some of Australia's most well-known businesses, including Bunnings, Kmart, Target, Catch, Officeworks, CSBP and Blackwoods. It also has a 50% interest in investment house Gresham Partners, a 50% interest in Wespine, and a 24% interest in BWP Trust, which owns Bunnings Warehouses.
Wesfarmers is one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 107,000-120,000 employees.
