S. Oliver reports 5.3 percent rise in 2013 sales

REPORT_ The s. Oliver Group ended the 2013 business year with group sales of 1.621 billion euros (2.195 billion dollars), which equates to a 5.3 percent increase in sales. “2013 was an eventful but, at the same time, very successful year for s.Oliver. Not only were we able to report continued

positive net sales as in previous recent years, we were also able to further increase sales and are satisfied with our year-end results,” opined Thomas Steinhart, CFO of the company.

In

the 2013 business year, s.Oliver continued expansion of its own retail activities with 31 new stores being opened both at home and abroad. The additional retail outlets included stores in Austria, Croatia, and India as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. Sales via our franchise and wholesale operations also expanded in 2013. This is an area where the company grew together with its partners with 51 new openings.

The retail division with some 40 percent of group turnover is the second biggest business division after the approximately 60 percent of its wholesale activities. Moreover an omni-channel concept has been created which is currently in the process of being rolled out. “With tablet-supported customer counselling and our Click & Collect service, the online business is networking much more closely with our retail operations with the result that customer wishes can be met in optimum ways,” explained Thomas Kronefeld, Managing Director International Retail.

The export share remained stable at 25.06 percent. In Eastern Europe and notably in Russia, sales continued to grow on an ongoing basis with the wholesale business above all recording growth in excess of 50 percent. Several franchise stores were also opened successfully abroad with the market launch in Canada marking an important step along the expansion strategy path. Since the launch in April 2013 three showrooms have been opened in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. In India the group had to change course with a number of stores having to be closed down.

“For 2014 we are optimistic in line with the prevailing in the fashion trade in general. In the light of the ongoing trend towards buying clothes and the record-low inclination of consumers to save, we anticipate a further significant increase in sales. Investment in the desirability of the s.Oliver brand combined with the further internationalisation and expansion of the portfolio of stores both in Germany and abroad will pay off sustainably,” said Reiner Pichler, new CEO, who took charge of the Rottendorf headquartered company in January 2014.