Clas Ohlson: results constant in like-for-like terms

In the first quarter of its financial year (May – July) Clas Ohlson, the Swedish retail group, achieved a sales increase of three per cent for a total of SEK 1.507 bn. In the main, this increase is down to the 16 new openings; sales remained constant in like-for-like terms. The strongest growth was registered in Finland; here sales rose by 18 per cent to € 143 mio. The figure was two per cent for both Sweden, the company’s homeland (SEK 703 mio) and for Norway (SEK 605 mio). In Britain the Swedish company achieved sales of SEK 56 mio; that was two per cent down on the same period last year, though seven per up when expressed in sterling. At the end of July the network of stores included 178 outlets. Clas Ohlson concluded August with growth of six per cent overall.