DGAP-News

Hornbach Holding AG: Hornbach Group boosts sales by 6.0 percent to Euro 3.57 billion

DGAP-News: Hornbach Holding AG / Key word(s): Development of Sales
Hornbach Holding AG: Hornbach Group boosts sales by 6.0 percent to
Euro 3.57 billion

24.03.2015 / 07:00

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Hornbach Group boosts sales by 6.0 percent to Euro 3.57 billion

Trading Statement for 2014/2015: Growth momentum accelerates compared with
previous year / DIY megastores with garden centers increase like-for-like
sales by 5.5 percent in Germany and 2.8 percent in international business

Neustadt/Weinstrasse, March 24, 2015.
The Hornbach Group (Hornbach Holding AG Group) stepped up its pace of
growth in the past 2014/2015 financial year compared with the previous
year. Consolidated sales for the period from March 1, 2014 to February 28,
2015 showed group-wide growth of 6.0 percent (2013/2014: 4.3 percent) to
Euro 3,572 million. Hornbach-Baumarkt-AG, the largest operating subgroup
with 146 DIY megastores and garden centers in nine countries across Europe
at the balance sheet date on February 28, 2015, increased its sales by 6.5
percent to Euro 3,357 million. On a like-for like basis and net of currency
items, group-wide DIY and garden store sales grew by 4.4 percent. This
growth was driven by the stores both in Germany and in other European
countries. The international share of sales within the Baumarkt subgroup
most recently amounted to 41.4 percent.

Germany steps up another gear

The strongest growth momentum came once again from Germany. Full-year sales
at the Hornbach-Baumarkt-AG subgroup's 97 DIY megastores with garden
centers in its home market rose by 7.6 percent to Euro 1,966 million. This
figure includes sales at seven locations newly opened and one newly
extended in Germany. Like-for-like sales in Germany, i.e. excluding stores
newly opened or closed in the past twelve months, grew by 5.5 percent.
Hornbach expanded its share of its domestic market from 10.0 percent to
11.0 percent in 2014.

"Our like-for-like sales growth in Germany is remarkable. The previous year
benefited very significantly from market consolidation factors in the wake
of the Praktiker insolvency and the mild winter in 2013/2014. This set a
very high standard to beat, especially in the second half of the year. As
the figures show, we have clearly stepped up another gear", commented
Albrecht Hornbach, Chairman of the Board of Management of Hornbach Holding