Kesko’s sales grew in December
The sales of Kesko Group’s continuing operations in December 2018 totalled €848.0 million, representing an increase of 1.0% in comparable terms. The reported sales from continuing operations increased by 1.6%. The month had one wholesale selling day less than December 2017.
"Sales grew in December in the grocery trade thanks to successful Christmas sales. Sales also grew year-on-year in the building and technical trade. Sales development for both divisions remained strong also in the fourth quarter. In the car trade, December sales were weakened by delays in deliveries caused by the implementation of WLTP emissions testing,” says Mikko Helander, Kesko’s President and CEO.
Sales in the grocery trade totalled €513.7 million in December, an increase of 2.2% in comparable terms. The month had one delivery day less than December 2017. Sales development was good in all chains thanks to growth in Christmas sales. Reported sales in December grew by 1.1%
Sales in the building and technical trade totalled €283.4 million in December, an increase of 2.9% in comparable terms in local currencies. Comparable sales in the building and technical trade excluding the speciality goods trade grew by 2.2% in local currencies. Sales in Finland grew by 0.4% and sales elsewhere by 3.5%. Sales in the speciality goods' leisure trade increased by 8.1%, while sales in the machinery trade grew by 14.0% in comparable terms. Reported sales in the building and technical trade increased by 6.6%.
Sales in the car trade totalled €50.5 million in December, a decrease of 16.5% due to the implementation of WLTP emissions testing. Changes to Finnish car tax, effective as of
1 January 2019, also pushed first registrations to January.
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in December 2018:
| December 2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 513.7 | +1.1 | +2.2 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 121.7 | +1.3 | +1.7 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 161.7 | +11.0 | +3.9 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 283.4 | +6.6 | +2.9 |
| Car trade, total | 50.5 | -16.5 | -16.5 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.3 | ||
| Grand total | 848.0 | +1.6 | +1.0 |
| Finland, total | 686.2 | -0.4 | +0.4 |
| Other countries, total | 161.7 | +11.0 | +3.9 |
| Grand total | 848.0 | +1.6 | +1.0 |
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in October-December 2018:
| 1.10.-31.12.2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 1,443.6 | +2.1 | +4.1 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 488.2 | +5.4 | +5.8 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 571.1 | +9.7 | +4.7 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 1,059.3 | +7.6 | +5.2 |
| Car trade, total | 192.3 | -13.3 | -13.3 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 0.5 | ||
| Grand total | 2,695.6 | +2.9 | +3.0 |
| Finland, total | 2,124.6 | +1.2 | +2.6 |
| Other countries, total | 571.1 | +9.7 | +4.7 |
| Grand total | 2,695.6 | +2.9 | +3.0 |
Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in January-December 2018:
| 1.1.-31.12.2018 | Comparable | ||
| € million | Change, % | change, % | |
| Grocery trade, total | 5,431.1 | +1.8 | +4.9 |
| Building and technical trade, Finland | 2,025.2 | -9.7 | +4.2 |
| Building and technical trade, other countries | 2,185.2 | +0.1 | +0.9 |
| Building and technical trade, total | 4,210.5 | -4.8 | +2.4 |
| Car trade, total | 910.5 | -2.1 | -2.1 |
| Common functions and eliminations | 1.5 | ||
| Grand total | 10,553.6 | -1.3 | +3.2 |
| Finland, total | 8,368.4 | -1.6 | +3.9 |
| Other countries, total | 2,185.2 | +0.1 | +0.9 |
| Grand total | 10,553.6 | -1.3 | +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 excluding the impact of acquisitions and divestments and by including in the sales those stores formerly belonging to Suomen Lähikauppa which have belonged to the network 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 made in 2017 and 2018. 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.
The reported sales for Kesko Group’s continuing operations include the acquisitions carried out in 2018, which are Reinin Liha and Kalatukku E. Eriksson in the grocery trade and Skattum Handel AS, Gipling AS and 1A Group in the building and technical trade.
In December 2018, the number of Kesko's wholesale selling days in Finland was 17, which is one day less than the year before. The selling days for October-December and for January-December equalled the number of those in the corresponding periods in 2017.
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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