Double-digit growth rates

The Easy DIY stores of the Chilean Cencosud Group achieved a sales increase of 24.3 per cent to CLP 333 164 mio (€ 432.2 mio) in the first six months of 2008. The operating result rose 26.9 per cent to CLP 102 501 mio (€ 133.0 mio) compared with the same period last year. In Chile the Easy DIY stores recorded sales of CLP 128 570 mio (€ 166.9 mio), which amounts to growth of 14.0 per cent, or 4.4 per cent like-for-like. They also managed to increase their operating result by 20.7 per cent to CLP 34 728 mio (€ 45.1 mio). In Argentina the Easy DIY stores recorded sales of CLP 204 594 mio (€ 265.6 mio), or 31.8 per cent more than during the same period last year and 20.0 per cent like-for-like. Growth in terms of the operating result came to 30.4 per cent, or CLP 66 773 mio (€ 86.6 mio). At the end of the first six months Cencosud had 23 DIY stores in operation in Chile with a combined retail area of 224 761 m² and 34 stores in Argentina totalling 309 805 m².