Hema FY15 net sales up by 5.8 percent

Dutch chain, Hema, announced that its net sales in FY15, ended on 31 January 2016, increased by 5.8 percent compared to FY14. The company reported that its international expansion in 2015 is an important factor in its growth.

The net sales in 2015 were up to €1,139.3 million, from €1,077.2 million in FY14. Like-for-like sales were up 3.2 percent in FY15. In the fourth quarter, net sales were up 4.1 percent compared with the same period of FY14. Hema’s like-for-like sales increased with 0.5 percent in Q4, FY2015, making it the fourth consecutive quarter where the company can report sales growth in like-for-like sales. 

“2015 was an important year for Hema. Customers visited our stores in larger numbers than ever before. For the first time since 2008, like-for-like sales increased for four consecutive quarters. We continued to open new stores internationally and saw strong growth in like-for-like sales from our international stores. Solid progress was made in our short-term priorities and we sharpened our strategy. This means we can now fully focus on the future of Hema and that means growth. We have made an encouraging start to FY16 with improved sales and profitability on the prior years,” says Tjeerd Jegen, CEO of Hema. 

In 2015, Hema opened 7 stores in France, 2 stores in Spain and 2 stores in the UK. Which means a total number of 44 Hema stores in France, 10 stores in Germany, 5 stores in the UK and 3 stores in Spain. The company first expanded outside of the Netherlands in 1984, with its first store in Belgium.

For 2016, Hema is focusing on its further growth, with its strategy based on the following activities: revitalisation in Benelux, an accelerated international expansion and the growth of its e-commerce. In 2015, the group online sales were up by 28 percent compared with the previous year. 

Hema first opened its doors in 1926 in Amsterdam. Today, the chain has 30,000 own brand products and services, more than 700 stores in 7 countries and 11,000 employees. The company offers a wide range of products varying from food to non-food, and includes: womenswear, menswear and children clothing. 

By Shomara Roosblad