pdf (18.3 MB) - METRO Group

PICKING UP THE PACE!
Shape 2012 iS driVinG ChanGe
“Your Metro GrouP is More effiCient, More
CustoMer-foCused and More internationaL
than ever before.”
sustainable growth prospects. this was the case with respect to our wholesale business in morocco,
which we gave up during the reporting year.
the Real sales division successfully continued its repositioning in Germany in 2010. We continued to
lower costs and optimised the sales network. this includes modernising the hypermarkets and offering
assortments that are closely geared to local customers’ needs. in 2010, Real not only entered the
online retail business, but also tested an innovative concept linking up stationary and electronic sales
with the drive-in collection store “Real drive”. all in all, the sales division markedly sharpened its profile
among customers in 2010. this is reflected in like-for-like sales and in a tangible improvement in
earnings. For the first time, Real generated a profit in its international business in 2010.
once again, the performance of media markt and saturn was truly satisfying. sales climbed by 5.6 percent
over the previous year’s results. milestones of the reporting year included the launching of the online
business in austria and the netherlands, with which we are preparing our multi-channel sales for
additional markets. another highlight was the opening of the first Chinese media markt in shanghai.
this market entry marks an important step as we seek to expand our presence in China. We want to
profit directly from the country’s economic expansion. media markt and saturn can build on a suitable
concept that is unique in China: with attractive brand products, low prices and first-rate sales assistance.
With respect to media markt and saturn’s expansion strategy, we have made the clear decision to focus
only on countries where we can achieve fast growth and market leadership. this was not possible
in France. in the course of our strategic portfolio optimisation we have therefore decided to divest our
saturn consumer electronics stores in that country.
Business development at Galeria Kaufhof show that the department store concept is not dead in
Germany – if it is managed and implemented successfully. earnings rose for the sixth consecutive
year, resulting in an eBit margin of about 4 percent. this shows that our trading-up strategy, which
allows us to offer markedly more attractive assortments, is paying off.
in 2010, we developed a new, clearer structure for our real estate management to better dovetail with
the operating business – moving it away from functional, centralised management to a decentralised