South African retailer Woolworths reports 8.9 pct rise in FY profit

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African retailer Woolworths Holdings reported an 8.9 percent rise in full-year profit as its food sales gained more market share despite a weak economy its home market. * Adjusted diluted headline earnings per share was 453.4cents for the year until June 30 compared to 416.4 cents in theprevious year. * Woolworths Food continues to gain market share, thecompany said. * Headline earnings per share (EPS) is the main profitmeasure used in South Africa that strips out certain one-offtimes. * The retailer bought Australian department store DavidJones in 2014. * "The South African customer continues to be underpressure, and the Australian trading environment continues to betough," Woolworths said in a statement. * Both markets have become more competitive with the arrivalof northern hemisphere retailers and increased promotionalactivity, the company said. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; editing by Jason Neely)