BORNHEIM (dpa-AFX) - DIY store group Hornbach Holding has benefited from the warmer weather in March and April at the beginning of its new financial year. In the three months to the end of May, net sales rose year-on-year by 1.8 percent to just over Euro 1.8 billion, as reported by the SDax company in Bornheim on Tuesday. According to the report, customers were particularly keen to buy plants and garden products in the spring season. Because the Management Board kept a strict eye on expenditure, the operating result adjusted for special items (adjusted EBIT) rose by a good third to 146.4 million euros. Before minority interests, a profit of 100 million euros remained - a good 40 percent more than in the previous year.

"However, we remain cautious, as it is difficult for us to gauge our customers' appetite for renovation projects in the summer", commented Erich Harsch, CEO of Hornbach Baumarkt AG, with regard to the year as a whole. Moreover, the start to the second quarter of the financial year (up to the end of August) had been weaker, while the sector was still struggling with gloomy consumer sentiment. Albrecht Hornbach, CEO of Hornbach Management AG, added that the brightening conditions are not yet reflected in higher spending by our customers, particularly on large, long-term projects.

Accordingly, the company confirmed its forecast. In the twelve months to the end of February 2025, net sales are likely to be slightly higher than the previous year's figure of EUR 6.16 billion. Operating earnings adjusted for one-off items (adjusted EBIT) are expected to exceed the previous year's figure of 254.2 million euros at most slightly./ngu/jsl/he