It increases its sales in the national market by 14.4%

MADRID, 23 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Leroy Merlin registered a net profit of 135 million euros in 2022 in Spain, which is 25% more and the group's highest historical profit in this market, where it plans to invest 415 million euros in the next three years.

"2022 has been a successful and very good year for the company. Spain has become the market with the highest growth in turnover for all Leroy Merlin business units in Europe", assured the CEO of the company in Spain, Alain Ryckeboer.

The multinational achieved sales of 3,328 million euros in 2022, representing an increase of 14.4% more, which has positioned it as the group's fastest growing market in Europe.

The gross operating result (Ebitda), for its part, rose by 10.7%, reaching 216 million euros, while the group's net operating result (Ebit) last year reached 177.5 million euros, which represents a growth of 27.1% more, driven by online sales, which reached 207 million euros, and which is included in distance sales, which grew by 44.4%, up to 266.9 million euros.

In 2022, the multinational invested a total of 88 million euros in Spain, divided into 32 million euros in stores, 48 ​​million euros in technology and logistics, and eight million euros in customer service. "Thus, in the last five years we have invested 500 million euros, not only in openings or updating stores. We are going to continue investing in Spain in the coming years", specified the financial director, Alberto Bustío.

The company, which closed 2022 with 133 physical stores, invested 13 million euros in the opening of spaces in Bilbondo (Vizcaya), Nigrán (Pontevedra) and Gijón, as well as the transformation of the Alcobendas (Madrid) and Plasencia (Cáceres) stores. , and Sant Pere de Ribes (Barcelona), while the transformation of the AKI stores was completed.

In this way, Leroy Merlin continues to bet on Spain. The firm has 2,126 suppliers, of which 1,583 are Spanish, from whom last year they made purchases worth 1,626 million euros. "72% of purchases are made in Spain, which is why we are a very important player in improving the Spanish industrial fabric in the country," Bustío indicated.

Leroy Merlin contributed 441 million euros to the state coffers in 2022, which is broken down into 37.4 million euros in corporate tax; 30.4 million euros in other taxes; 214 million euros in VAT; 123.4 million euros in Social Security, and 35.7% corresponding to personal income tax.

On the other hand, the company will distribute 54.3 million euros among its employees, equivalent to 30% of the 2022 Ebit, corresponding to the different forms of their participation in the company's results.

The general director of the company in Spain has announced that the group will invest 415 million euros over the next three years, half of which will go to technology and logistics and the other 50% will be devoted to expanding stores with new spaces. , formats and updates.

Ryckeboer has advanced that the group will focus in 2023 on continuing to strengthen 'online' sales, developing the web and the 'marketplace', also betting on the professional market that has "enormous growth potential", continue to grow in the sale of turnkey projects, promoting specialized store concepts with the opening of more stores and promoting energy renewal.

In this way, the multinational plans to continue experimenting with new store formats in Spain, where it continues to test the urban store in Madrid. "We will decide in the future if we are going to develop it, but the idea is to get closer to customers in the city centers," he specified.

Thus, Leroy Merlin will continue to bet on growing in Spain, where in its expansion plan it is planned to open new stores such as the recent one in Valencia Salvatierra, dedicated to bathrooms and kitchens, which will be followed by others in Lorca (Murcia), Linares (Jaen) and Fuengirola (Malaga).

Regarding 2023, the financial director has been optimistic for this year. "We are waiting on how everything is going to evolve because we are not exempt in this economic situation, but we are confident in having a very good 2023 as well, because we have many opportunities", he stressed.

However, the company acknowledges that it is "awaiting the evolution of the Spanish GDP and inflation", but they are confident that they will be able to grow between 4%-6% each year.

In a context marked by inflation and rising costs, Bustío has indicated that they are "very close" to the suppliers, who are the ones who suffer the most from these increases. "We have a price stability policy over time and we do not change them based on the economic situation. We have tried to maintain prices during the year," he indicated, while specifying that they have anticipated purchases to mitigate the impact of prices.