Intersport International reports stable results in 2018

Intersport’s growth slowed down in 2018. The sport retailer has reported a sales increase for the 2018 financial year of only 0.7%, reaching €11.6 billion at constant exchange rates. Growth in the previous year was 3.3%.

“After a solid H1, sales were negatively impacted by the very warm autumn and the late start to the winter, causing a 0.8% sales downturn in the fourth quarter,” stated Intersport, adding that the only product category whose revenue actually decreased was winter sport equipment. The group did not disclose details about its financial statement, notably about net income.

Intersport currently operates 5,562 stores in 43 countries. In the course of 2018, it downsized slightly, since a year ago it operated 5,647 stores. The markets in which Intersport was most dynamic were France, Austria and eastern and southern European countries like the Ukraine, Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania.

Results for the group’s buoyant sneaker retailer The Athlete’s Foot were published separately. Intersport reported that The Athlete’s Foot's revenue increased by 9.4% in 2018, which according to FashionNetwork.com estimates means it reached just shy of €400 million (it was €363 million in 2017). The chain operates 537 stores in 31 different markets, and in 2018 it opened 14 new branches. Including The Athlete’s Foot's sales, the consolidated total for the Intersport group was close to €12 billion (€11.9 billion).

The Switzerland-based group is deploying a new strategic plan, labelled Intersport 2.0, and earlier in the year it welcomed a new CEO, Steve Evers. His mission is to implement the sport retailer’s digital transformation. Soon, staff from 14 countries will be grouped together in one office in Amsterdam, where Intersport's centre for omni-channel services is located.

Intersport International reports stable results in 2018

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