Metro AG is one of the leading retailers in the world. It is based in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The company operates more than 2,200 outlets across 32 countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Metro’s main retail formats are: METRO Cash & Carry (accounts for around half of the group’s total sales), Media Markt, Saturn (consumer electronics stores), Real (hypermarkets), and Galeria Kaufhof (a department store chain).
Metro is Germany’s number one retailer (in terms of market share), in addition to being one of the world’s most globalized retailers. According to Metro AG, the company has approximately 265,000 employees, of which over 60% work outside Germany.
The first Metro store was founded by Otto Beisheim in 1964.
The modern day company, Metro AG, was created through a merger of the retail companies Asko Deutsche Kaufhaus AG, Kaufhof Holding AG and Deutsche SB-Kauf AG in 1996. That same year METRO AG went public on the DAX German Stock Index.
Metro AG – Company Overview
Chairman and CEO: Olaf Koch- Industry: Retailing
- Type: Aktiengesellschaft
- Listed on the FWB as MEO
- Net sales: €46,321 million (30/9/2013)
- Profit loss for the period: -€71 million (30/9/2013)
- Headquarters: Düsseldorf, Germany
- Employees: 265,000 (approximately)
- Founded: Metro AG was formed in 1996
- Website: http://www.metrogroup.de/
- Investor relations phone number: +49 211 6886-1051
- Investor relations email: [email protected]
Metro AG – Financial Results
| Key figures (in millions of EUR except for share data) | 30/9/2013 | 30/9/2012 |
| Net sales | €46,321 | €47,380 |
| Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) | €703 | €409 |
| Profit or loss for the period | -€71 | -€14 |
| Cash flow from operating activities | -€1,768 | -€2,095 |
| Equity | €5,206 | €5,649 |
| Net debt | €5,391 | €7,734 |
| Basic earnings per share – Group share (in EUR) | -€0.22 | -€0.06 |
Source: “Metro Group Annual Report 2013”
Olaf Koch, CEO of Metro AG, commented on the FY 2013 Trading Statement (9M 2013):
“Despite still very demanding market conditions, we were able to achieve our sales target; in the third quarter we even saw a trend improvement. At the same time, we con- firm our EBIT before special items to slightly exceed the prior year’s level of €706 million.”
He added:
“The stub year 2013 was a further year of transformation for the METRO GROUP: we markedly increased our growth drivers e-commerce, delivery and franchise sales as well as our own brand sales share. By doing so, we have become more relevant to our customers at every division and grew our market share sustainably in many relevant markets.”