Kesko's comparable sales at last year’s level
The sales of Kesko Group’s continuing operations totalled €745.5 million in February 2019. In comparable terms, the sales were at the same level as the year before. Reported sales from continuing operations grew by 0.4%.
"Sales grew in the grocery trade and in the building and technical trade. In the car trade, sales decreased due to the implementation of the WLTP emissions testing and the resulting delays in car deliveries and due to weakened market demand among consumer customers," says Mikko Helander, Kesko’s President and CEO.
Sales in the grocery trade totalled €393.7 million in February, an increase of 3.0% in comparable terms. Sales grew in all chains. Reported sales in February grew by 1.6%.
Sales in the building and technical trade totalled €292.4 million in February, an increase of 2.5% in comparable terms in local currencies. Comparable sales in the building and technical trade excluding the speciality goods trade grew by 4.2%. Sales in Finland grew by 2.7% and sales elsewhere by 5.7%. Sales in the speciality goods' leisure trade decreased by 17.1%, while sales in the machinery trade decreased by 10.2% in comparable terms. Reported sales in the building and technical trade increased by 5.2%.
Sales in the car trade totalled €60.1 million in February, a decrease of 21.6%.
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in February 2019:
| February 2019 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 393.7 | +1.6 | +3.0 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 144.2 | -0.5 | -0.4 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 148.1 | +11.4 | +5.7 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 292.4 | +5.2 | +2.5 |
| Car trade, total | 60.1 | -21.6 | -21.6 |
| Common functions and eliminations | -0.7 | ||
| Grand total | 745.5 | +0.4 | +0.1 |
| Finland, total | 597.4 | -2.0 | -1.2 |
| Other countries, total | 148.1 | +11.4 | +5.7 |
| Grand total | 745.5 | +0.4 | +0.1 |
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in January-February 2019:
| 1.1.-28.2.2019 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 812.6 | +1.2 | +2.9 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 303.8 | +2.5 | +2.7 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 306.1 | +9.2 | +4.1 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 609.9 | +5.8 | +3.4 |
| Car trade, total | 133.1 | -24.8 | -24.8 |
| Common functions and eliminations | -0.9 | ||
| Grand total | 1,554.7 | -0.1 | -0.2 |
| Finland, total | 1,248.6 | -2.2 | -1.2 |
| Other countries, total | 306.1 | +9.2 | +4.1 |
| Grand total | 1,554.7 | -0.1 | -0.2 |
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 excluding the impact of acquisitions and divestments completed in 2018, and by including in the sales those stores formerly belonging to Suomen Lähikauppa which have been operating under the retailer business model in both years. The comparable change % for the building and technical trade has been calculated in local currencies and excluding the impact of acquisitions and divestments completed in 2018 and 2019.
The reported sales for Kesko Group’s continuing operations include the acquisitions completed in 2018 and 2019, which are Reinin Liha and Kalatukku E. Eriksson in the grocery trade and Skattum Handel AS, Gipling AS, 1A Group and Sørbø Trelast AS in the building and technical trade.
In February 2019, the number of Kesko's wholesale selling days in Finland was 20, which equals the number of wholesale selling days the year before. Likewise, the number of selling days in January-February 2019 equalled the number in 2018.
Kesko publishes advance information on K Group's retail sales quarterly in connection with interim reports.
Further information is available from Vice President, Group Controller Eva Kaukinen, tel. +358 10 5322 338.
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