"Praktiker Hungary posted nearly HUF 50.2 billion (EUR 178.2 m) revenues in FY2008, up from HUF 47.6 bn in 2007. The local unit of Germany's Praktiker Group, one of the leading do-it-yourself centre operators in Europe, is to continue expanding in Hungary despite the fact that the global crisis and the government's austerity measures taken in response have seriously dented customer's appetite to buy its products, CEO Karl-Heinz Keth told a press conference on Wednesday.Praktiker Hungary registered 5.6 million buyers at its 19 local stores last year, which means it has doubled its clientele in 10 years.
2008 was a successful year for the DIY chain that upped its revenues by 5.4% yr/yr to HUF 50.187 bn.
Praktiker opened two new units last year, one in Békéscsaba and another in Székesfehérvár (which is the second in town), spending several millions of euros on the facilities.
The company pledged to continue expanding in Hungary next year, as well, planning to open a HUF 2 billion store on 6,700 sqm in Esztergom in the spring of 2010.
The DIY chain launched its webshop in mid-March this year, offering online payment and home delivery. The website registered some 500,000 visitors since then and it had about 1,000 actual purchases. While only a few customers wished to pay online, two thirds of them wanted their purchase to be carried to their doors, Praktiker said."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
18.06.2009