Kesko’s sales in March
The sales of Kesko Group’s continuing operations totalled €900.0 million in March 2018. In comparable terms, the sales were at the same level as the year before. The reported sales from continuing operations decreased by 9.0%. March had two fewer wholesale selling days in Finland than the year before.
“Kesko’s sales grew in comparable terms in March in the grocery trade and in the car trade. The timing of Easter at the end of March/beginning of April meant sales in the grocery trade increased while sales in the building and technical trade decreased,” says Mikko Helander, Kesko’s President and CEO.
Sales in the grocery trade totalled €485.9 million in March, an increase of 7.7% in comparable terms. Sales grew in all chains. Reported sales grew by 3.9% in March.
Sales in the building and technical trade totalled €326.2 million in March, a decrease of 11.2% in comparable terms in local currencies. Comparable sales in the building and technical trade excluding the speciality goods trade decreased by 11.8% in local currencies. Sales in Finland declined by 9.1% and sales elsewhere by 14.3%. Sales in the speciality goods' leisure trade decreased by 14.4% in Finland, while sales in the machinery trade grew by 10.2% in comparable terms. The reported sales in the building and technical trade decreased by 25.7%, impacted by the divestments of the K-maatalous agricultural business, the furniture trade, and the leisure machinery trade in the second quarter of 2017.
Sales in the car trade totalled €87.8 million in March, an increase of 6.0%.
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in March 2018:
| March 2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 485.9 | +3.9 | +7.7 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 163.2 | -33.2 | -9.9 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 163.0 | -16.2 | -12.4 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 326.2 | -25.7 | -11.2 |
| Car trade, total | 87.8 | +6.0 | +6.0 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.2 | ||
| Grand total | 900.0 | -9.0 | -0.4 |
| Finland, total | 737.1 | -7.3 | +2.9 |
| Other countries, total | 163.0 | -16.2 | -12.4 |
| Grand total | 900.0 | -9.0 | -0.4 |
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in January–March 2018:
| 1.1.-31.3.2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 1,288.6 | +2.7 | +7.4 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 459.5 | -25.6 | -1.4 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 443.4 | -8.6 | -4.1 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 903.0 | -18.2 | -2.8 |
| Car trade, total | 264.7 | +5.9 | +5.9 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.8 | ||
| Grand total | 2,457.0 | -5.7 | +3.2 |
| Finland, total | 2,013.6 | -5.0 | +5.0 |
| Other countries, total | 443.4 | -8.6 | -4.1 |
| Grand total | 2,457.0 | -5.7 | +3.2 |
Change, % indicates the change when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The comparable change % has been calculated for the grocery trade by including those stores formerly belonging to Suomen Lähikauppa which have belonged to the network in both years, in the sales. The comparable change % in the building and technical trade has been calculated in local currencies and excluding the impact of divestments made during 2017. On 16 February 2018, we announced we would be discontinuing our building and home improvement trade operations in Russia: these are reported as discontinued operations and are not included in the sales figures for continuing operations presented in this release.
In March 2018, the number of Kesko's wholesale selling days in Finland was 21, which is two days fewer than in March the year before. January-March 2018 had one less selling day than the corresponding period in 2017.
In connection with interim reports, Kesko publishes advance information on K Group's retail sales quarterly.
Further information is available from Vice President, Group Controller Eva Kaukinen, tel. +358 105 322 338.
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