Strong growth for Rona

The Canadian Rona group increased its retail sales to $ 1.395 bn in the last financial year. This figure includes sales for franchise and corporate stores combined. The 33.3 per cent growth also reflects the Revy and Lansing acquisition in June 2001. Same-store sales grew by 7 per cent. The company posts consolidated net sales of $ 2.332 bn, a 27.1 per cent increase over 2001. This figure includes sales of the distribution centres and corporate stores as well as the company’s share of the sales of franchise stores. Rona also lists distribution sales separately, covering sales to affiliated and franchise stores as well as deliveries from distribution centres to corporate stores, which achieved a total of $ 1.4135 bn in 2002, an increase of 22.6 per cent. Net earnings were up 75 per cent to $ 43.1 mio.