Foreign beats domestic business

In the first three months of 2006, sales recorded by the Praktiker DIY superstores dropped by 0.2 per cent to € 717.7 mio (last year: € 718.9 mio). EBITA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax and Appreciation) were down from -€ 8.4 mio to -€ 15.9 mio. While foreign sales went up by 16.5 per cent to € 157.6 mio, sales revenues in Germany went down by 4.0 per cent to € 560.1 mio. The foreign share of group sales amounted to 22.0 per cent at the end of the 1st quarter (last year: 18.8 per cent).