Ace Hardware stores in the US grow by 1.2 per cent

The 3 400 or so hardware retailers affiliated to the Ace Hardware cooperative increased their same-store sales by 1.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2021 (ended 3 July 2021) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was the result of a 7.1 per cent increase in average ticket partially offset by a 5.5 per cent decrease in same-store transactions, according to the company. Online retail sales via the shop acehardware.com rose by 13.9 per cent.
The central office realised overall revenues of USD 2.4669 bn (EUR 2.0915 bn) in the second quarter, 8.2 per cent more than in the same period in 2020. Of these, its wholesale activities accounted for USD 2.2116 bn (EUR 1.8751 bn), equivalent to an increase of 9.0 per cent. With the hardware stores it operates itself, the Ace central office achieved retail revenues of USD 255.2 bn (EUR 216.4 bn), 2.4 per cent more than in the second quarter of 2020.
In the first six months, the central sales of Ace Hardware increased by 21.3 per cent to USD 4.4987 bn (EUR 3.8142 bn). Wholesale revenues increased by 21.9 per cent to USD 4.0807 bn (EUR 3.4598 bn), retail revenues by 15.6 per cent to USD 418.0 mio (EUR 354.4 mio).
Around 5 550 hardware stores are affiliated to the cooperative globally. 61 stores joined the network in the second quarter.