Sydney: Australian supermarket giant Woolworths on Thursday reported a large annual net loss of A$1.23 billion (Dh3.4 billion, $940 million), its first since listing more than two decades ago, following a failed push into hardware and a slump in food sales. Woolworths, Australia’s largest retailer and one of the two dominant supermarket chains in the country, recorded the sharp plunge for the year to June 26 — the first loss since 1993, compared to a net profit of A$2.15 billion in the prior period. The company said Wednesday it was exiting the disastrous Masters home improvement business seven years after entering the hardware market, selling it for A$1.5 billion.