Kesko Group: Q4-2021 sales grew 7% versus previous Q4

Kesko / FI. (kkc) Finland’s Kesko Group’s sales totalled EUR 952.6 million in December 2021, representing an increase of 7.5 percent on the previous year. In comparable terms, sales grew by 7.4 percent.

«Kesko’s sales grew in the grocery trade division and the building and technical trade division in December. Sales for the building and technical trade division grew by 21.9 percent in comparable terms, thanks to strong growth in B2B trade. Sales in the grocery trade division grew by 2.6 percent, and the growth focused on Kespro’s foodservice channel,» says Mikko Helander, Kesko’s President and CEO.

Sales for the grocery trade division totalled EUR 565.2 million in December, an increase of 2.6 percent. Sales to K Group grocery stores decreased by 1.8 percent. Sales in K-Citymarket’s home and speciality goods (non-food) grew by 4.9 percent. Kespro’s sales grew by 21.8 percent.

Sales for the building and technical trade division totalled EUR 319.7 million in December, an increase of 21.9 percent in comparable terms in local currencies. Excluding the speciality goods trade, sales for the division grew by 20.2 percent in comparable terms. Sales grew in comparable terms by 24.4 percent in Finland, 6.5 percent in Sweden, and 13.4 percent in Norway. In the speciality goods trade, leisure trade sales increased by 52.6 percent in comparable terms. Reported sales for the building and technical trade increased by 21.9 percent.

Sales for the car trade division totalled EUR 70.7 million in December, a decrease of 5.8 percent. Sales were impacted by the weakened availability of cars. In December, registrations of new cars in Finland were down by 19.7 percent in passenger cars and by 29.2 percent in vans compared to the year before. The number of used cars sold in Finland decreased by 9.6 percent year-on-year.

Kesko Group’s sales in December totalled EUR 952.6 million, representing an increase of 7.4 percent in comparable terms.

Kesko Group’s sales in EUR, excluding VAT, in December 2021

	December 2021		Comparable
	EUR million	Change, percent	change, percent
Grocery trade, total	562.2	+2.6	+2.6
Building and technical trade, Finland	178.9	+25.5	+27.3
Building and technical trade, other countries	140.7	+17.6	+15.5
Building and technical trade, total	319.7	+21.9	+21.9
Car trade, total	70.7	-5.8	-5.8
Common functions and eliminations	-3.1
Grand total	952.6	+7.5	+7.4
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Finland, total	811.8	+5.9	+6.1
Other countries, total	140.7	+17.6	+15.5
Grand total	952.6	+7.5	+7.4

Kesko Group’s sales in EUR, excluding VAT, in October-December 2021

	1.10.-31.12.2021		Comparable
	EUR million	Change, percent	change, percent
Grocery trade, total	1,569.0	+2.8	+2.8
Building and technical trade, Finland	603.3	+18.7	+20.4
Building and technical trade, other countries	534.7	+22.0	+16.4
Building and technical trade, total	1,138.0	+20.2	+18.6
Car trade, total	221.4	-5.3	-5.3
Common functions and eliminations	-7.1
Grand total	2,921.3	+8.2	+7.6
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Finland, total	2,386.6	+5.5	+5.8
Other countries, total	534.7	+22.0	+16.4
Grand total	2,921.3	+8.2	+7.6

Kesko Group’s sales in EUR, excluding VAT, in January-December 2021

	1.1.-31.12.2021		Comparable
	EUR million	Change, percent	change, percent
Grocery trade, total	5,953.1	+3.1	+3.1
Building and technical trade, Finland	2,443.9	+13.0	+13.9
Building and technical trade, other countries	2,088.9	+3.4	+16.5
Building and technical trade, total	4,532.8	+8.4	+15.0
Car trade, total	1,037.7	+14.7	+14.7
Common functions and eliminations	-24.8
Grand total	11,498.8	+6.1	+8.3
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Finland, total	9,409.9	+6.7	+6.9
Other countries, total	2,088.9	+3.4	+16.5
Grand total	11,498.8	+6.1	+8.3

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Change percent indicates the change when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The comparable change percent has been calculated in local currencies and excluding the impact of Kesko Senukai and the acquisitions and divestments completed in 2020 and 2021.

The reported sales for Kesko Group include the acquisitions and divestments completed in 2020 and 2021, in accordance with the dates of completion. In 2020, the building and technical trade division completed the acquisitions of Mark +amp; Infra i Sverige, Carlsen Fritzøe Handel, and Bygg +amp; Interiör, and the divestment of Konekesko’s machinery trade operations in the Baltics. In 2021, the building and technical trade division completed the acquisition of Byggarnas Partner and discontinued the operations of the Kookenkä shoe store chain.

In both December and October-December 2021, the number of delivery days equalled that of last year in both Kesko’s grocery trade and building and technical trade in Finland. Building and technical trade in Sweden and Norway had 1 more delivery day than the year before. In January-December, the number of delivery days in Kesko’s grocery trade was down by 1 on the corresponding period the year before. The number of delivery days in building and technical trade in Finland and Norway in January-December equalled that of the year before, while the number of delivery days in Sweden for the period was up by 1. Under normal circumstances, one delivery day has an approximately 2-4 percent impact on Kesko’s wholesale, depending on the division. The number or timing of delivery days in the car trade does not have a similar impact on sales. Kesko publishes advance information on the retail sales of K Group’s stores quarterly in connection with interim reports.