JOHANNESBURG: South African supermarket group Shoprite Holdings reported a 10.4% rise in half-year earnings on Tuesday, helped by a much stronger second quarter as liquor sales resumed and declaring an interim dividend of 191 cents.

Diluted headline earnings per share (HEPS) from continuing operations rose to 418 cents in the six-months ended on Dec. 27, compared with a restated figure of 378.6 cents a year earlier.

After adjusting for foreign currency movements and hyperinflation HEPS grew by 17.1%