Praktiker keeps up sales

In the first quarter of 2004 Praktiker increased sales by 0.3 per cent, or by 0.8 per cent currency-adjusted, to € 708 mio. The volume of sales in Germany remained 2.4 per cent below the level achieved for the same period last year, although it must be said that that included the high-volume discount campaign run to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary. In its quarterly report the Metro group assesses these figures as a consolidation of Praktiker’s competitive position. The earnings deficit (EBITA) was down by a figure of 37.2 per cent to - € 5.1 mio.
Sales in the international stores, apart from Austria and Luxembourg, increased by 16.1 per cent (20.6 per cent currency-adjusted) to € 119.2 mio. Metro puts the international share of sales at 18.7 per cent. This figure remains below the higher one that was given for the year 2003 overall, for example, because of the recent 20 per cent campaign in Germany.