During the same period, sales increased by 3.8% to 8.4 billion euros (+1.9% at constant exchange rates), despite the absence of Easter in the first quarter, as per the results communicated today to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM).
EBITDA rose by 3.8% to 528 million euros (+1.2% at constant exchange rates), with the margin standing at 6.3%, consistent with the first quarter of 2024.
“Even though the first quarter allows a very limited reading of market trends, the group’s results in these three months, facing the very demanding comparisons from the previous year, are solid and confirm the competitiveness of our value propositions and the strategy, in recent years, to strengthen the business models of different brands,” stated CEO and Chairman Pedro Soares dos Santos.
The group noted the opening of the first four Biedronka stores in Slovakia in March, along with a distribution center to support operations.
By the end of March, the group’s balance sheet showed a net cash position of 332 million euros.
On April 24, the general meeting of shareholders approved the Board of Directors’ proposal to distribute a dividend of 0.59 euros per share (gross value), totaling 370.8 million euros, to be paid on May 15, as stated in the announcement.
Shareholders also approved the allocation of 40 million euros from the 2024 results to the Jerónimo Martins Foundation, which is expected to impact the profit and loss statement in the second quarter.
In the year of its 30th anniversary, sales of the Biedronka food retail chain increased by 3.4% to 5.9 billion euros (+0.3% in local currency), with an EBITDA of 461 million euros, 3.9% higher than in the first three months of the previous year (+0.7% in local currency).
Sales of the Polish health and beauty chain Hebe grew by 8.5% (in local currency), with an EBITDA of three million euros, 57.4% lower than the previous year (-58.7% in local currency).
In Portugal, the Pingo Doce supermarket chain increased sales by 2.8% to 1.2 billion euros, while sales at Recheio declined by 0.4% to 302 million euros.
In Colombia, Ara recorded a 13% sales increase in local currency.
The investment program “achieved an executed value in the quarter of 267 million euros,” the group further reported.
