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| Wesfarmers | |
| Company type | Public |
| |
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Founded | 1914; 112 years ago (1914) |
| Headquarters | Perth, Western Australia, Australia |
Number of locations | 1,933 stores (2024) |
Area served |
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Key people | |
| Revenue |  $45.7 billion (2025)[1]: 2 |
| $2.926 billion (2025)[1]: 2 | |
| Total assets | $27.981 billion (2025)[1]: 11 |
Number of employees | 118,000 (2025)[1]: 75 |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | wesfarmers |
| Footnotes / references Subsidiaries according to the Wesfarmers 2025 Annual Report[2] | |
Wesfarmers Limited is an Australianconglomerate, headquartered inPerth, Western Australia. It has interests predominantly in Australia and New Zealand, operating in retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial and safety products. With revenue of A$45.7 billion in the 2025 financial year,[1] it is one of Australia's largest companies by revenue. Wesfarmers is also one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 118,000 employees.[1]
Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as aco-operative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. It was listed on theAustralian Securities Exchange in 1984 and grew into a major retail conglomerate.
Westralian Farmers Co‐operative Limited was formed in 1914 as a cooperative company by theFarmers' and Settlers' Association of Western Australia, to acquire the assets of the West Australian Producers' Union, to be focused on the provision of services and merchandise to theWestern Australianrural community. The word "Westralian" is a portmanteau of "western" and "Australian".[3][4] By 1919, more than 65 local co-operative companies were acting as agents for Westralian Farmers Limited.[5] In 1924, it established the first public radio station in Western Australia with6WF, before it passed into the hands of theAustralian Broadcasting Commission in 1929, now called ABC Radio Perth
The organisation was linked with the activities of theCo-operative Federation of Western Australia.[6]
By the 1940s, the company's business included "being wheat and general merchants; country distribution forCommonwealth Oil Refineries; wool, livestock, skin and produce auctioneers; grain & fruit exporters; insurance underwriters; acquiring agents for the wheat pool of W.A." Known as Westralian Farmers Limited, it had premises in various locations within thePerth central business district. In the 1940s the company had premises at 563-571Wellington Street. It also had premises in Newman Street inFremantle.
In 1949, Wesfarmers acquired Ashburton Transport, which at the time was lossmaking. The following year it also acquired its major competitorGascoyne Trading, combining the operations of the two companies to supply the northwest of Western Australia. Along with wool and mail, it carted bananas fromCarnarvon to Perth, returning with stores and mail from Perth. Gascoyne Trading introduced refrigerated transport to the region and three trailerroad trains that now carry loads up to 115 tonnes.[7][8][9]
In 1979, Wesfarmers acquired a controlling interest inCSBP, the successor toCuming, Smith & Co., a Melbourne-based fertiliser and chemicals manufacturer established in 1872. The takeover, valued at approximately A$60 million, was described at the time as the largest corporate acquisition in Australian history.[10][11]
In 1984, Westralian Farmers Co-operative Limited formed Wesfarmers Limited, restructuring from a co-operative to apublic company and listed on theAustralian Securities Exchange on 15 November 1984. Initially the Co-operative retained 60% of the ordinary shares, guaranteeing that the co-op's farmer members retained control, and the rest was distributed to its members.[12]
In 1986, Wesfarmers completed the acquisition ofCSBP by purchasingBP’s remaining stake, thereby assuming full ownership.[13]
In 1991, 19 m3 of the records of Westralian Farmers Co-operative were deposited with theJ S Battye Library in Perth.
Bought in January 1993 the integration ofDalgety Farmers with Wesfarmers proved more difficult than expected. For a time the merged rural agency and merchandise business was Wesfarmers Dalgety until renamed Wesfarmers Landmark in March 2001 after IAMA Limited was brought in. Landmark, Wesfarmers foundation business, was sold toAWB Limited (originally the Australia Wheat Board) in August 2003.[14]
An initial investment in 10 percent ofBunnings in February 1987 reached full ownership in January 1994. Bunnings bought UK retailerHomebase in February 2016 and Britain's first Bunnings store opened twelve months later in February 2017.[14] They were 265 well-located stores and Wesfarmers believed Bunnings' management would greatly improve their modest profits. The plan was to make changes gently but tactics changed and local management, perceived as under-performing, was removed and replaced by expatriate management. The expatriate management's changes alienated the existing customer base and, aided by a poor retailing climate, brought a rapid decline into losses. A strategic review by Wesfarmers resulted in the May 2018 sale of the Homebase business toHilco Capital at a loss of A$1.96 billion.[15]
Despite returning to profitability,Homebase collapsed in 2024, with its stores sold off or closed and theIP sold toCDS (Superstores International) Limited "The Range".
Australian Railroad Group began a joint venture withGenesee & Wyoming by the purchase ofWestrail at the beginning of 2000. It was sold in 2006 toBabcock & Brown andQueensland Rail.[14]
In 2001, Wesfarmers became a freely-traded publicly listed company with open ownership.[12] After becoming a public company, Wesfarmers diversified its interests byacquiring other businesses.
Bunnings is a retailer of home improvement and outdoor living products, servicing home and commercial customers in Australia and New Zealand. They have 511 locations, including large warehouse stores, smaller format stores and trade centres.[1][16]: 24 Bunnings employs more than 53,000 staff.[1]: 4
In January 2016,Home Retail Group accepted an offer from Wesfarmers to acquire the British home improvement retailer and garden centreHomebase for $704 million. Stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland began to be rebranded as Bunnings following the takeover.[17] However, following Wesfarmer's sale of Homebase toHilco in May 2018, it was reported that the 24 stores already converted would return to the Homebase branding.[18]
Kmart is a discount department store retailer in Australia and New Zealand. Kmart has 323 stores around Australia and New Zealand, employing approximately 38,000 staff.[1]: 4 Kmart Tyre & Auto Service is no longer a part ofKmart after parent Wesfarmers sold the auto division toContinental for $350 million.[19] Kmart Tyre and Auto has since been rebranded by Continental to MyCar.[20]
Target is a mid-level department store retailer in Australia, which operates 124 stores. Target employs more than 10,000 staff.[1]: 4 Target Australia has no connection to the American retailer ofthe same name.
Officeworks is a retailer and supplier of office products for home, business and education in Australia. It operates 173 stores and employs around 8,800 staff.[1]: 5
In 2019, Officeworks group acquired Geeks2U, an Australian provider of on-site information, communication and technology services.[21]
Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers (WesCEF) produces and markets chemicals, fertilisers and gas products. WesCEF employs more than 1,300 staff.[1]: 4
WesCEF has ammonia and ammonium nitrate production facilities in Western Australia, 50% of QNP ammonium nitrate production facilities in Queensland, sodium cyanide production facilities in Western Australia, PVC resin and specialty chemicals production facilities in Victoria, LPG and LNG production facilities in Western Australia and fertiliser production and importation facilities in Western Australia.
WesCEF businesses includeCSBP (originally formed fromCuming, Smith & Co. in 1964), Australian Vinyls, AGR (75% stake), QNP (50% stake), Covalent Lithium (50% stake),Kleenheat, Modwood and Evol LNG.[22][23]
Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety provides industrial and safety products and services in Australia and New Zealand.[24] It employs 3,100 staff.[1]: 5
On 1 December 2014, Wesfamers Industrial and Safety completed the acquisition of the Workwear Group ofPacific Brands for $180 million.[25]
Its businesses include Blackwoods (including NZ Safety Blackwoods, Bullivants and Cm3), Workwear Group (including the brandsKing Gee,Hard Yakka,Stubbies, Bates, Wolverine, Totally Workwear, NNT and Incorporate Wear) and Coregas.[24]
The division's 32 New Zealand stores are now all branded as NZ Safety Blackwoods.[26] These include former Blackwood and Packaging House stores,[24] and 19 former Paykel Engineering Supplies purchased in 2003.[27][28]
Wesfarmers acquiredAustralian Pharmaceutical Industries (API) in March 2022 for $740 million.[29] API would form the basis of a new healthcare division of Wesfarmers, Wesfarmers Health. They employ around 3,000 staff.[1]: 5
In June 2023, Wesfarmers reached an agreement to buy InstantScripts for $135 million.[29] In late 2024, Wesfarmers Health launched Atomica, a pilot beauty store concept.[30] In June 2025, Wesfarmers Health acquired the Pharmacy 4 Less Group (which operates pharmacies under the Pharmacy 4 Less and Your Chemist Shop brands) after the group went into voluntary administration in April that year.[31]
In August 2019, Catch Group, operator of the online shopping website Catch.com.au, was acquired by Wesfarmers for $230 million.[32][33] On 21 January 2025, Wesfarmers announced that Catch.com.au would cease trading as of 30 April 2025.[34]
Wesfarmers has 100% interest in many other subsidiaries across Australia, New Zealand, India, New Caledonia, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, Bermuda and Singapore. These includeBBC Hardware,Fosseys,Howard Smith, Loyalty Pacific, Tyremaster, Viking Direct and World 4 Kids.[16]: 167-171
Wesfarmers has a 50% interest in investment house Gresham Partners plus interests in Gresham Private Equity Funds, 50% interest in Wespine, a plantation softwood sawmill inDardanup and a 24% interest in BWP Trust which mainly owns Bunnings Warehouses tenanted by Bunnings Group Limited.[35]
On 16 June 2014, Wesfarmers completed the sale of its insurance broking and premium funding operations, including OAMPS Insurance Brokers in Australia, OAMPS UK, Crombie Lockwood in New Zealand, Lumley Finance and Monument Premium Financing toArthur J. Gallagher & Co.[36] On 30 June 2014, Wesfarmers completed the sale of its insurance underwriting operations, including the WFI and Lumley brands, to theInsurance Australia Group.[37]
On 2 July 2007, Wesfarmers announced it was purchasing theColes Group retail business for $22 billion making it the largest successful take-over in Australian corporate history. Wesfarmers took control of Coles on 23 November 2007, after paying almost $20 billion for the company. Wesfarmers had already purchased 13 per cent of the retailer in April.[38][39]
Coles is a national supermarket, department store. liquor, fuel and convenience retailer in Australia. As of September 2013, Coles operated 756 full-service supermarkets, 810 liquor outlets, 92 hotels, and 636 fuel and convenience stores. Wesfarmers bought Kmart and Target during its purchase of Coles. Coles employs more than 105,000 staff.[35] Coles' businesses includeColes Supermarkets,Coles Online,Coles Express,Vintage Cellars,First Choice Liquor Market,Bi-Lo, Coles Financial Services andLiquorland.
On 16 March 2018, Wesfarmers held a meeting to discuss its intention to demerge Coles.[40][41] The demerger was effective from 21 November 2018 with Wesfarmers retaining a 15% shareholding.[42] During 2020 Wesfarmers reduced its equity in Coles to 4.9%.[43] In April 2023, Wesfarmers sold off the last of its shares in Coles.[44]
Wesfarmers Resources owned and operated open-cut coal producing resources in Australia including theCurragh in Queensland. Wesfarmers divested its coal business, completing the process with the sale of its 40 per cent interest in the Bengalla Joint Venture to New Hope Corporation for $860 million on 3 December 2018.[45]
In 1950 Wesfarmers purchased theGascoyne Trading Company (GTC), growing it to become the largest transport operator in Western Australia.[46][47] Until 1971 it held the sole rights for direct road transport between Carnarvon and Perth.[48] In 1973 a joint venture was formed withDownard to enter the interstate freight forwarding market between Western Australia andVictoria.[49]
In 1985, GTC purchased a 50% shareholding inTotal West fromMayne Nickless.[50] In 1996, after taking full ownership of Total West, Wesfarmers merged it with GTC to form Wesfarmers Transport.[51][52] In 2001 the business was sold toToll Holdings.[53][54][55]
2025 report was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Homebase has been sold by [Wesfarmers] [..] So far 24 stores have been rebranded [but] will become Homebase stores again.
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