Friday, January 09, 2004
View pdf file: Ahold 2003 sales amount to Euro 56.1 billion
Zaandam, The Netherlands, January 9, 2004 - Ahold today announced consolidated net sales for 2003 (52 weeks through December 28, 2003) of Euro 56.1 billion, a decline of 10.5% compared to Euro 62.7 billion generated in 2002. The overall impact of acquisitions and divestments on net sales growth in 2003 was 0.7% positive.
In the fourth quarter (12 weeks through December 28, 2003), sales amounted to Euro 12.7 billion, a 10.8% decrease over the Euro 14.3 billion generated in the same quarter in 2002. The overall impact of acquisitions and divestments on net sales growth in the fourth quarter was negative 1.4%.
Sales were significantly impacted by lower currency exchange rates, in particular that of the U.S. Dollar; sales excluding currency impact increased by 2.7% in 2003 and 0.7% in the fourth quarter.
The sales numbers presented in this press release are preliminary and unaudited.
USA - retail
In the United States, 2003 net sales at USA retail in U.S. Dollars increased by 2.7% to USD 27.0 billion (2002: USD 26.3 billion). Comparable sales increased by 0.9% and identical sales increased by 0.1%.
In the fourth quarter, net sales increased by 0.9% to USD 6.3 billion (2002: USD 6.2 billion). Comparable sales increased by 0.6% and identical sales decreased by 0.1%.
Europe - retail
In Europe, net sales rose 0.9% to Euro 12.9 billion (2002: Euro 12.8 billion). In the fourth quarter, net sales amounted to Euro 3.2 billion (2002: Euro 3.2 billion), a decrease of 0.4%.
Excluding the impact of lower currency exchange rates, sales rose 1.7% in 2003 and 0.6% in the fourth quarter.
At Albert Heijn, identical sales declined by 1.9% in 2003. In the fourth quarter, the identical sales decline was reduced to 0.4%.
Foodservice
Net sales at U.S. Foodservice increased by 2.3% to USD 17.8 billion (2002: USD 17.4 billion). In the fourth quarter, sales at U.S. Foodservice increased by 6.0% to USD 4.2 billion (2002: USD 3.9 billion).
The acquisition of Allen Foods (December 2002) and Lady Baltimore (September 2002), contributed approximately 1.5% to the sales growth in 2003 and 0.9% in the fourth quarter.
South America
In South America, net sales increased by 3.5% to Euro 2.2 billion (2002: Euro 2.1 billion). The sales growth benefited from the full-year consolidation of Disco in Argentina (2002: only three quarters) and included almost full-year sales for Santa Isabel Peru and Paraguay (2002: only second half-year). Santa Isabel Chile did not materially impact the full-year sales growth because both years included one half-year of sales.
The fourth quarter showed sales of Euro 517 million (2002: Euro 646 million), down 20.0%. This was mainly caused by the sale of Santa Isabel Chile in the third quarter of 2003.
Asia
In Asia, net sales declined 20.7% to Euro 363 million (2002: Euro 458 million) due to the sale of most of the assets of Ahold Malaysia and Ahold Indonesia in the course of the third quarter of 2003.
Fourth quarter sales amounted to Euro 84 million (2002: Euro 119 million), a decrease of 29.4%.
Unconsolidated joint ventures
Total sales of our unconsolidated joint ventures decreased by 3.5% to Euro 11.1 billion (2002: Euro 11.5 billion). This decrease was caused by the consolidation of Disco and Santa Isabel in the course of 2002. In the fourth quarter, sales decreased by 0.3% to Euro 3.0 billion (2002: Euro 3.0 billion).