Kesko's April sales down 3.6%

Kesko Oyj's sales for April 2023 reached €964.4 million, marking a 3.6% decrease compared to the same period last year on a like-for-like basis. The decline was primarily driven by the building and technical trade division.

Sales in the grocery division increased by 2.5% to €508.9 million. This growth was supported by a 1.0% increase in sales to K Group grocery stores and an 8.0% rise in Kespro's wholesale sales. The company noted that Easter deliveries partly shifted to March, and April had one fewer delivery day than the previous year, affecting grocery sales figures.

The building and technical trade division experienced a significant downturn, with sales dropping by 18.3% to €344.7 million. Within this segment, building and home improvement trade sales decreased by 25.2%, and Onninen's sales were down 9.8%. Sales in Finland, Sweden, and Norway within this division fell by 19.7%, 23.2%, and 15.1% respectively.

Conversely, the car trade division reported strong growth, with sales increasing by 28.7% to €112.8 million. New car registrations in Finland rose by 13.6% for passenger cars and 2.2% for vans. Used passenger car sales also saw a modest increase of 2.3%. The sports trade, which became part of this division in April, saw its sales decrease by 20.6%.