Although international retailing may have been a distant concern to most American retailers a decade ago, today the international divisions at the nation's top retail companies are among the fastest-growing components of any in retail.
In addition to the well-documented success experienced within Wal-Mart's international arm ($55 billion-plus in 2004), both The Home Depot and Costco, the world's No. 3 and No. 10 retailers, respectively, continued their expansion abroad in 2004, including Home Depot's aggressive push into Mexico with the acquisition of 20-unit Home Mart de Mexico.
Outside of North America, the region of greatest interest to most U.S.-and Europe-based retail companies continues to be the Far East, especially China. In the wake of the Chinese government's relaxing of trade regulations in early 2004, all of the region's major foreign players, including Tesco, Metro, Carrefour and WalMart, increased their store presence in the region. To date, Carrefour operates the most number of units in China, at 75.
Despite its aggressive moves in the East, however, Carrefour made front-page headlines in its home country last year with the ouster of ceo Daniel Bernard, who was unable to thwart the company's marketshare loss at home. In the face of intense pressure from Casino and Auchan, France, in fact, has become one of the most turbulent of any of the major Western markets.
A close second, all the same, is Britain, where perennial powerhouse Tesco continues its head-to-head battle with Asda, the jewel of the Wal-Mart International portfolio. As to who's winning that battle, the jury's still out. But by year's end, each had considerable sales growth to show for it.
In regards to the most sought-after new markets, there was no shortage of speculation as to who would be the first major retailer to take on Russia, India and even Africa. But while the debate raged on, several European retailers quietly continued their expansion in yet another "foreign" market: the United States. In 2004, Germany-based Aldi, arguably the world leader in extreme-value food retailing, opened its 700th store in America, proving that even the most developed nations are still very much exploitable.
Continued from page 1.
Top 25
Global Retailers (sales in dollars or dollar equivalents *)
MAIN
COMPANY BASE BUSINESS
Wal-Mart U.S. General Merchandise
Carrefour France Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Home Depot U.S. Hardware/DIY
Metro Germany Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Tesco U.K. Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Kroger U.S. Food Retailing
Sears Holdings U.S. General Merchandise
Ahold Netherlands Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Rewe Germany Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Costco U.S. General Merchandise
Target U.S. General Merchandise
Intermarche France General Merchandise
As reported in core currency
Schwarz Group Germany General Merchandise
As reported in core currency
ALDI-Einkauf Germany Food Retailing
As reported in core current
Albertson's U.S. Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Edeka Germany Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Aeon General Merchandise
As reported in core currency
Walgreen Co. U.S. Drug Retailing
Auchan France Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Lowe's U.S. Hardware/DIY
Safeway U.S. Food Retailing
Leclerc France Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
Ito-Yokado Japan Convenience/Food
As reported in core currency
Tengelmann Germany Food Retailing
As reported in core currency
CVS U.S. Drug Retailing
SALES (IN MILLIONS)
COMPANY 2004
Wal-Mart $285,222
Carrefour 90,389
As reported in core currency 72,668 [euro]
Home Depot 73,094
Metro 70,164
As reported in core currency 56,409 [euro]
Tesco 67,941
As reported in core currency 37,070 [pounds sterling]
Kroger 56,434
Sears Holdings 55,800
Ahold 54,933
As reported in core currency 44,163 [euro]
Rewe 50,749
As reported in core currency 40,800 [euro]
Costco 47,146
Target 46,839
Intermarche 44,002
As reported in core currency 35375 [euro]
Schwarz Group 42,557
As reported in core currency 34214 [euro]
ALDI-Einkauf 41,868
As reported in core current 33660 [euro]
Albertson's 39,897
As reported in core currency 35375 [euro]
Edeka 38,995
As reported in core currency 31,350 [euro]
Aeon 38,813
As reported in core currency [yen] 4,196,000
Walgreen Co. 37,508
Auchan 37,373
As reported in core currency 30,046 [euro]
Lowe's 36,464
Safeway 35,823
Leclerc 35,326
As reported in core currency 28,400 [euro]
Ito-Yokado 33,518
As reported in core currency [yen] 3,623,554
Tengelmann 33,335
As reported in core currency 26,800 [euro]
CVS 30,594
SALES (IN MILLIONS)
COMPANY 2003 %CHG
Wal-Mart $256,329 11.27%
Carrefour 79,796 N/A
As reported in core currency 70,486 3.10
Home Depot 64,816 12.77%
Metro 60,674 N/A
As reported in core currency 53,595 5.25
Tesco 54,884 N/A
As reported in core currency 33,557 10.47
Kroger 53,791 4.91%
Sears Holdings N/A --
Ahold 51,421 N/A
As reported in core currency 45,222 (2.77)
Rewe 44,356 N/A
As reported in core currency 39,181 4.13
Costco 41,693 13.08
Target 42,025 11.46
Intermarche 37,723 N/A
As reported in core currency 33,100 6.87
Schwarz Group 33,357 N/A
As reported in core currency 29465 16.12
ALDI-Einkauf 41,011 N/A
As reported in core current 36226 (7.08)
Albertson's 35,107 13.64%
As reported in core currency 33,100 6.87
Edeka 35,140 N/A
As reported in core currency 31,040 1.00
Aeon 30,246 N/A
As reported in core currency 3,500,746 19.80
Walgreen Co. 32,505 15.39
Auchan 32,497 N/A
As reported in core currency 28,706 4.67
Lowe's 30,838 18.24
Safeway 35,727 0.27
Leclerc 30,736 N/A
As reported in core currency 27,150 4.60
Ito-Yokado 30,604 N/A
As reported in core currency 3,542,146 2.30
Tengelmann 31,149 N/A
As reported in core currency 27,515 (2.60)
CVS 26,588 15.0
NET INCOME (IN MILLIONS)
COMPANY 2004 2003 %CHG
Wal-Mart $10,267 $9,054 13.40%
Carrefour 1,877 1,968 N/A
As reported in core currency 1,509 1,738 (13.18)
Home Depot 5,001 4,304 16.19
Metro 1,161 960 N/A
As reported in core currency 933 848 10.02
Tesco 3,105 2,496 N/A
As reported in core currency 1,694 1,526 11.01
Kroger (100) 312 --
Sears Holdings 593 N/A --
Ahold 137 (780) --
As reported in core currency 110 (689) 115.97
Rewe N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
Costco 882 721 22.3
Target 3,198 1,809 76.78
Intermarche N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
Schwarz Group N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
ALDI-Einkauf N/A N/A --
As reported in core current N/A N/A --
Albertson's 444 556 (20.14)
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
Edeka N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
Aeon 574 461 N/A
As reported in core currency 62,100 53,300 16.5
Walgreen Co. 1,349 1,165 15.79
Auchan 592 651 N/A
As reported in core currency 476 575 (17.22)
Lowe's 2,176 1,844 18.00
Safeway 560 (170) --
Leclerc N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
Ito-Yokado 159 463 N/A
As reported in core currency 17,205 53,632 (67.92)
Tengelmann N/A N/A --
As reported in core currency N/A N/A --
CVS 919 847 8.50
* Dollar amounts for foreign companies are converted figures;
conversions from all three currencies (Euros, Pounds and Yen) are based
on the average annual exchange rate with the U.S. dollar for 2004 and
2003, respectively
Source: Sales and earnings gathered from public documents or analysts'
estimates.
Research and compilation by DSN Retailing Today.
(): Decline or loss
N/A: Not Available
e: estimate
Income listed is Underlying Operating Profit
2004 sales and earnings are consolidated results of Sears and Kmart
Based on U.S. GAPP, restated
COPYRIGHT 2005 Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
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