Kesko Group's sales totalled €952.6 million in December 2021, representing an increase of 7.5% on the previous year. In comparable terms, sales grew by 7.4%.

"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% in comparable terms, thanks to strong growth in B2B trade. Sales in the grocery trade division grew by 2.6%, and the growth focused on Kespro's foodservice channel," says Mikko Helander, Kesko's President and CEO.

Sales for the grocery trade division totalled E565.2 million in December, an increase of 2.6%. Sales to K Group grocery stores decreased by 1.8%. Sales in K-Citymarket's home and speciality goods (non-food) grew by 4.9%. Kespro's sales grew by 21.8%.

Sales for the building and technical trade division totalled E319.7 million in December, an increase of 21.9% in comparable terms in local currencies. Excluding the speciality goods trade, sales for the division grew by 20.2% in comparable terms. Sales grew in comparable terms by 24.4% in Finland, 6.5% in Sweden, and 13.4% in Norway. In the speciality goods trade, leisure trade sales increased by 52.6% in comparable terms. Reported sales for the building and technical trade increased by 21.9%.

Sales for the car trade division totalled E70.7 million in December, a decrease of 5.8%. Sales were impacted by the weakened availability of cars. In December, registrations of new cars in Finland were down by 19.7% in passenger cars and by 29.2% in vans compared to the year before. The number of used cars sold in Finland decreased by 9.6% year-on-year.

Kesko Group's sales in December totalled E952.6 million, representing an increase of 7.4% in comparable terms.

Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in December 2021:

December 2021Comparable
E millionChange, %change, %
Grocery trade, total562.2+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, total319.7+21.9+21.9
Car trade, total70.7-5.8-5.8
Common functions and eliminations-3.1
Grand total952.6+7.5+7.4
Finland, total 811.8 +5.9 +6.1
Other countries, total 140.7 +17.6 +15.5
Grand total952.6+7.5+7.4

Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in October-December 2021:

1.10.-31.12.2021Comparable
E millionChange, %change, %
Grocery trade, total1,569.0+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, total1,138.0+20.2+18.6
Car trade, total221.4-5.3-5.3
Common functions and eliminations-7.1
Grand total2,921.3+8.2+7.6
Finland, total 2,386.6 +5.5 +5.8
Other countries, total 534.7 +22.0 +16.4
Grand total2,921.3+8.2+7.6

Kesko Group's sales in euros, excluding VAT, in January-December 2021:

1.1.-31.12.2021Comparable
E millionChange, %change, %
Grocery trade, total5,953.1+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, total4,532.8+8.4+15.0
Car trade, total1,037.7+14.7+14.7
Common functions and eliminations-24.8
Grand total11,498.8+6.1+8.3
Finland, total 9,409.9 +6.7 +6.9
Other countries, total 2,088.9 +3.4 +16.5
Grand total11,498.8+6.1+8.3

Change % indicates the change when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. The comparable change % 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 & Infra i Sverige, Carlsen Fritzøe Handel, and Bygg & 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% 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.

Car trade market statistics by the Finnish Information Centre of Automobile Sector.

Kesko publishes advance information on the retail sales of K Group's stores quarterly in connection with interim reports.

Further information is available from Hanna Jaakkola, Vice President, Investor Relations, tel. +358 105 323 540, and Eva Kaukinen, Vice President, Group Controller, tel.
+358 105 322 338.

Kesko Corporation

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