Kesko’s comparable sales grew in February
The sales of Kesko Group’s continuing operations in February 2018 totalled €742.4 million, representing an increase of 1.4% in comparable terms. The reported sales from continuing operations decreased by 7.2%.
”In February, Kesko’s sales grew in comparable terms in the grocery trade. In the car trade, growth in new car registrations exceeded the market," says Mikko Helander, Kesko’s President and CEO.
Sales in the grocery trade totalled €387.4 million in February, an increase of 4.6% in comparable terms. Sales grew in all chains. The reported sales in February were at the same level as the year before.
Sales in the building and technical trade totalled €278.0 million in February, a decrease of 2.7% in comparable terms in local currencies. Comparable sales in the building and technical trade excluding the speciality goods trade decreased by 2.8% in local currencies. Sales in Finland declined by 3.3% and sales elsewhere by 2.4%. Sales in the speciality goods' leisure trade decreased by 0.5% in Finland, while sales in the machinery trade decreased by 2.3% in comparable terms. The reported sales in the building and technical trade decreased by 17.7%, 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 €76.7 million in February, an increase of 0.6%.
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in February 2018:
| February 2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 387.4 | +0.0 | +4.6 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 145.0 | -25.1 | -3.2 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 133.0 | -7.8 | -2.1 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 278.0 | -17.7 | -2.7 |
| Car trade, total | 76.7 | +0.6 | +0.6 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.3 | ||
| Grand total | 742.4 | -7.2 | +1.4 |
| Finland, total | 609.4 | -7.1 | +2.3 |
| Other countries, total | 133.0 | -7.8 | -2.1 |
| Grand total | 742.4 | -7.2 | +1.4 |
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in January-February 2018:
| 01/01/18-28/02/18 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 802.7 | +2.0 | +7.1 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 296.3 | -20.7 | +3.8 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 280.4 | -3.6 | +1.4 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 576.7 | -13.2 | +2.6 |
| Car trade, total | 176.9 | +5.8 | +5.8 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.6 | ||
| Grand total | 1,557.0 | -3.7 | +5.3 |
| Finland, total | 1,276.5 | -3.7 | +6.3 |
| Other countries, total | 280.4 | -3.6 | +1.4 |
| Grand total | 1,557.0 | -3.7 | +5.3 |
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, and 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 February 2018, the number of Kesko's wholesale selling days in Finland was 20, which equals the number of wholesale selling days the year before. January-February 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.
Kesko Corporation
DISTRIBUTION
Main news media
www.kesko.fi