Weak third quarter

In the first nine months of the current financial year, which ends on 28 February 2005, the net sales of Hornbach-Baumarkt-AG increased to € 1.659 bn (same period last year: € 1.507 bn). The company recorded a turnover of € 518.3 mio in the third quarter (2003/4: € 486.0 mio). Pre-tax income rose in the first nine months by 54 per cent to € 81.4 mio.
In the first nine months of the current financial year Hornbach Holding AG succeeded in increasing sales overall by 8.9 per cent to € 1.766 bn (previous year: € 1.621 bn). However, Hornbach explains that the sales trend on the existing retail area in the third quarter to the end of November could not keep pace with the dynamism of the first six months because of consumers’ noticeable reluctance to buy during the autumn. And so same-store sales fell by 0.9 per cent in the third quarter, whereas there had been an increase of 5.7 per cent in the previous year.