Kesko increased net sales in Finland by 1.3 per cent

The building and technical trade division of the Finnish Kesko Group (excluding speciality goods trade) ended the first half of 2018 with sales totalling EUR 1.798 bn. Although nominally 0.6 per cent less than in the same period in the previous year, the comparable change, which has been calculated in local currencies and excluding the impact of divestments made during 2017, was positive at 1.5 per cent. The sales of the K-rauta stores in Russia that Kesko has offloaded are not included in the sales figures.
Net sales for the building and home improvement trade from January to June were EUR 1.042 bn, a decrease of 1.2 per cent. In local currencies, net sales increased by 0.9 per cent.
In Finland, the building and home improvement trade achieved net sales of EUR 463 bn, an increase of 1.3 per cent. Net sales decreased in local currency in Norway by 16.0 per cent and in Sweden by 9.5 per cent. In Sweden, the decrease in net sales was impacted by closures of K-Rauta stores due to the ending of lease agreements, while in Norway, the decline was impacted by the expiry of one retailer agreement. In Belarus, net sales grew in local currency by 17.5 per cent.