Ace completes 2012 with sales up

In spite of a downward fourth quarter Ace Hardware, an American dealer-owned cooperative, increased its sales in the year 2012 by 3.6 per cent to US $ 3.8 bn. Sales of wholesale merchandise to affiliated stores rose by 2.5 per cent on a like-for-like basis. Sales in the company’s international business saw an increase of 4.3 per cent. In the fourth quarter the wholesale merchandise revenues to domestic stores fell by 0.6 per cent after adjustment. International sales caved in by 10.7 per cent. It was mainly the lower sales figures achieved with affiliated dealers in South America and Asia that were responsible for these losses. Last year 159 domestic outlets joined the organisation, while its cooperation with 127 other stores came to an end. Consequently the number of stores at home went up by 32 to 4 104 altogether. There were also changes in the area of participatory activities. In December the cooperative’s central office acquired WHI, a company operating 85 Ace neighbourhood stores in the Midwest. Ace sold its paint manufacturing assets to Valspar as well.