Comparable Sales, E-Commerce Growth Boost Ahold Delhaize in Q2
Second-quarter net sales for Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. division were up nearly 2% as the grocer reported gains in comparable store sales and online sales.
Total U.S. sales in the quarter were $14.895 billion, up 1.9% over the second quarter of the previous year. Comparable store sales, excluding gasoline, were up 3.4% with online sales up 16.4%.
A shift in the calendar, most notably the Easter holiday, had a positive impact of 0.9 percentage points. However, net sales were negatively impacted by 1.1 percentage points (between $550 million and $575 million) due to the closure of Stop & Shop stores and lower gasoline sales.
First-half sales in the U.S. were $29.547 billion, an increase of 1.9%. Online sales during the first half were up 17.2%.
“All of our U.S. banners have now launched price investments, while strategically leveraging the strength of our own-brand portfolios,” said Frans Muller, president and CEO of Ahold Delhaize. “So far this year, we have introduced 300 new own brand products and seen sales growth outpace the rest of the store in both dollars and units.”
Muller noted it has been one year since the company announced what he termed “decisive and deliberate actions” to ensure a stable and thriving future for Stop & Shop. The action he referred to was the closing of 32 Stop & Shop locations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.
Company-wide, Ahold Delhaize had sales of €23.092 billion ($26.920 billion), up 3.3% from the second quarter the previous year. Online sales were up 11.8% and net income was up 10%.
