ICA Gruppen AB: Interim Report January–June 2014

Regulatory News:

ICA Gruppen continued to increase sales and earnings in the second quarter

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.

Second quarter of 2014 in summary

• Consolidated net sales amounted to SEK 26,185 million (25,018) in the second quarter, an increase of 4.7%. Adjusted for currency fluctuations net sales rose by 4.4% compared with the second quarter last year.

• Operating profit excluding non-recurring items amounted to SEK 831 million (605), an increase of 37% compared with the previous year.

• Operating profit amounted to SEK 1,274 million (655). A capital gain from the divestment of Kjell & Company is included with SEK 440 million.

• Profit for the period amounted to SEK 994 million (338).

• Earnings per share amounted to SEK 4.65 (1.84).

Comments from ICA Gruppen’s CEO Per Strömberg:

"ICA Gruppen’s sales and earnings continued to rise in the second quarter, partly strengthened by good sales over the Easter period. Operating profit excluding non-recurring items increased by 37%. All segments report improvements compared with the previous year although the main contribution comes from ICA Sweden. Work on our strategic priorities has proceeded at a good pace and we are ahead of plan in several areas. The proportion of private label sales is rising as is the establishment of new stores in Sweden and the Baltic countries. Our sustainability work is reaping success and we have already achieved some of the goals in our cooperation with LRF”, 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, 20 August 2014 at 10.00 CET. CEO Per Strömberg and CFO Sven Lindskog will present the interim report.

The meeting will be webcast and can be followed at www.icagruppen.se/investors. There is also an opportunity to call in on tel. +46 8 50 55 64 74.

Financial calendar
12 November 2014 Interim report January – September 2014

11 February 2015 Year-end report 2014
22 April 2015 AGM 2015
6 May 2015 Interim report January – March 2015
19 August 2015 Interim report January – June 2015
11 November 2015 Interim report January – September 2015

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 07.00 CET on Wednesday, 20 August 2014. The report has not been reviewed by the company’s auditors.

ICA Gruppen AB (publ) is one of the Nordic region’s leading retail companies, with around 2,300 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 and Hemtex. For more information see icagruppen.se

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