News Flash

Metro Group poised to open more than 100 stores in 2006

20 May '06

2 min read

Ten years after the founding of German retail group Metro Group the Group's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Hans-Joachim Körber, takes stock on a period of overall success at the Annual General Meeting in Düsseldorf.

"In just a few years the Metro Group has risen to the top ranks in international retail. With this development we have also laid the foundation for the future success of the Metro Group. Our goal is to continue this profitable growth moving forward into the future," he said.

Regarding the figures Dr Körber said, "We can once again look back all in all at a successful fiscal year in 2005. The results of the first three months of the current year and the particularly good start into the second quarter confirm our forecast for 2006."

The Metro Group continues to expect a rise in sales of 4 to 6 percent and a growth in earnings per share of 5 to 8 percent in the current fiscal year. In fiscal 2005, Metro Group raised sales by 4.2 percent. Earnings per share grew by 6.5 percent adjusted for the write-down on deferred tax assets.

The Metro Group thus continued its successful business course. Within the ten years of its existence it has succeeded in doubling sales from around €28 billion to nearly €56 billion. Since 1996, the share of international business in total sales has climbed from 5 to 53 percent.

Dr Körber: "Starting out as a company with 14 divisions focused on the German market we have shaped a powerful, international retailing group with four sales divisions. Today, the Metro Group is represented in 30 countries at nearly 2,200 locations. For our further expansion we will concentrate in particular on the growth markets in Eastern Europe and Asia."

More METRO Group News... More Textiles News - Germany...