Praktiker shows over 3 per cent growth

In fiscal year 2005 sales at Praktiker Bau- und Heimwerkermärkte Holding AG (without Austria and the franchise markets) rose by 3.4 per cent to € 3.03 bn (prev. year: € 2.93 bn), the EBITA rose by 31.6 percent to € 105.8 mio (prev. year: € 80.4 mio.). According to the company at today's business press conference in Frankfurt am Main, the fourth quarter 2005 was especially positive with sales revenues amounting to € 716.8 mio (prev. year: € 671.5 mio) and an EBITA of € 23.8 mio (prev. year: € 22.4 mio). One focus of the investments valued at € 86.3 mio was the expansion of international activities and the opening of new markets, especially in Bulgaria and Rumania. Business in Germany, which makes up 74.6 percent of the concern's sales, showed sales revenues rising by some 0.7 percent to € 2.26 bn, and international sales rose by 2.3 percent to € 769.5 mio. International earnings were 13.7 percent higher than the previous year, rising to € 51.5 mio.