** Shares of Super Retail SUL.AX advance as much as 9.45% to A$15.4, on course for their biggest intraday pct gain since August 21, 2025

** Supercheap Auto brand owner's stock hits its highest since January 9

** Co says like-for-like sales momentum has been positive in the first 8 weeks of trading in 2H26

** Meanwhile, co posts HY statutory net profit of A$104 million ($74.06 million), down roughly 20% from a year earlier, even as sales rise 4.2%

** YTD, stock down 4.9%

($1 = 1.4043 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru)

((Tanishk.Kumar@thomsonreuters.com; X: @thatstanishk http://www.x.com/thatstanishk;))