ICA Gruppen AB: Continued strong performance for ICA Gruppen

Regulatory News:

ICA Gruppen’s consolidated financial statements include ICA AB as a wholly owned subsidiary with effect from 27 March 2013 when the acquisition of Ahold’s shares in ICA AB was completed.

Third quarter of 2013 in summary

Comparative figures are pro forma and show the third quarter of 2012 as if ICA and Hakon Invest had been consolidated.

• Consolidated net sales amounted to SEK 24,830 million (24,387) in the third quarter. This corresponds to an increase of 2.3% compared with the third quarter last year, adjusted for currency fluctuations.
• Operating profit amounted to SEK 1,029 million (941). Operating profit excluding non-recurring items amounted to SEK 1,037 million (943).
• Profit for the period amounted to SEK 585 million (–766). Earnings per share amounted to SEK 2.93 (–3.81).
• Strong sales in the Swedish ICA stores.
• Acquisition of warehouse property in Helsingborg.

ICA Gruppen’s CEO Per Strömberg comments the report

"ICA Gruppen reports a strong performance in the third quarter. Operating profit excluding non-recurring items rose 10%, due to continued favourable development in Sweden and the Baltic countries. We have devoted a lot of time to the formation of ICA Gruppen during the year and it is therefore particularly gratifying that we have been able to retain a good focus in our core businesses. The strategic priorities that we are following have had an impact: sales are rising, the proportion of private labels is higher, while among other things we have taken important steps regarding our future logistics structure”, says CEO Per Strömberg.

Press and analyst meeting

ICA Gruppen is arranging a press and analyst meeting at Berns Hotel, Berzelii Park, Stockholm on Wednesday, 13 November 2013 at 10.00 CET. CEO Per Strömberg and Deputy CEO and CFO Sonat Burman-Olsson will present the interim report. The meeting will be webcast and can be followed at www.icagruppen.se.

The information in this interim report is such that ICA Gruppen must disclose pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication at 07.30 CET on Wednesday, 13 November 2013.

ICA Gruppen AB (publ) is one of the Nordic region’s leading retail companies, with around 2,400 of its own and retailer-owned stores in Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Group includes the retail companies ICA Sweden, ICA Norway and Rimi Baltic, ICA Real Estate, which owns and manages properties and ICA Bank, which offers financial services to Swedish customers. The Group also includes the wholly owned portfolio companies Forma Publishing Group and inkClub and partly owned portfolio companies Cervera, Hemtex and Kjell & Company. For more information see www.icagruppen.se

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