Ahold USA Q4 sales down 0.5% to $6 billion

ZAANDAM, the Netherlands — Ahold on Thursday announced consolidated net sales of $9.5 billion for fourth-quarter 2014, an increase of 7.9% compared to fourth-quarter 2013. At constant exchange rates, net sales were up 2.6%.

 

For the full year 2014, consolidated net sales were $38.3 billion, an increase of 0.5% compared to 2013. At constant exchange rates net sales were up 0.8%.

 

In the United States, identical sales excluding gasoline increased 0.3%, compared to a 2% decline last year and a 0.2% decline in the previous quarter (adjusted for the market disruption in New England). Net sales were down 0.5% in the fourth quarter to $6 billion reflecting lower gas sales due to significant price deflation. For the year, Ahold USA sales totaled $26 billion, down 0.5%. 

 

"In the United States, we were pleased with the progress of our program to improve our customer proposition, which was deployed to 523 stores by the end of the year," Ahold stated. "Investments in our customer proposition continue to be largely funded by cost reductions from our Simplicity program and we expect underlying operating margin for the fourth quarter to be broadly in line with the previous quarter."