Carrefour FY15 sales rise 4.5 percent

Total sales under banners including petrol in full-year 2015 at Carrefour reached 104.4 billion euros (113.7 billion dollars) at constant exchange rates, up 4.5 percent at constant exchange rates. They stood at 26.9 billion euros (29.2 billion dollars) at constant exchange rates in the fourth quarter, up 2.7 percent.

In 2015, France posted organic growth of 1.1 percent, on positive comparable basis of 1.2 percent in 2014 and of 1.3 percent in 2013. All formats posted organic growth for the third consecutive year. Organic sales in international markets were up by 4.5 percent in 2015. For the first time in seven years, Europe posted sales growth and Sales in Latin America were up at 11.7 percent, as Brazil posted further growth, with organic sales up by 12.6 percent. However, in Asia, organic sales were down by 9.5 percent.

Like-for-like sales rise in Q4

In the fourth quarter, France posted further LFL growth of 0.2 percent on the back of a high comparable base with 1.1 percent rise. Sales at hypermarkets were down by 0.5 percent on an organic basis. Non-food sales were impacted by particularly mild temperatures, notably in December. Sales at supermarkets rose by 0.6 percent on an organic basis and LFL sales were up by 1.5 percent. Sales in convenience and other formats confirmed their momentum with a LFL rise of 1.1 percent.

Sales in international markets rose by 4.5 percent on an organic basis and by 3.6 percent on a LFL basis. In Other European countries, organic sales were up by 0.8 percent. LFL sales in Spain were up by 2.5 percent on top of an already positive comparable base in the fourth quarter of 2014. Trends improved in Italy where LFL sales were up by 3.5 percent. In Poland and in Romania, they grew on an already positive comparable base. They were down by 0.4 percent in Belgium.

Organic sales in Latin America were up by 15.9 percent. The company said that currencies had an unfavorable effect of 22.2 percent due to the depreciation of the Brazilian Real and Argentine Peso vs. the euro. In Brazil, organic sales were up by 13.5 percent and 8.5 percent on LFL basis. Organic sales in Argentina rose by 23.3 percent, of which 22.3 percent LFL.

In Asia, organic sales were down by 11.7 percent and total sales were down by 3.6 percent as the result of a positive currency effect of 8.1 percent. In China, in a context of slowing consumption, total sales were down by 7.5 percent, and down 15.7 percent on an organic basis. In Taiwan, sales rose for the fourth consecutive quarter, by 4.2 percent on an organic basis and by 2.6 percent LFL.