Published on September 13, 2013 by Olivia Leroux, Franchise-Magazine.com
"The store of tomorrow will have to be connected. Today, the Mr.Bricolage group is ready to take up this challenge."
The DIY market is suffering, particularly from the weather and falling household purchasing power. How is the Mr.Bricolage group coping with these difficulties?
In a very difficult context for the DIY sector, the first half of the year has nonetheless given us some real points of satisfaction. It's true that our networks saw their sales fall by 3.6% (on a like-for-like basis), to 990 million euros. But they did much better than the market, which posted a 4.5% decline at the end of June. Mr.Bricolage Group's financial structure continued to improve. Over a 12-month rolling period, our debt was reduced by €30.6 million to €126 million, thanks in particular to the restructuring of our integrated stores. We have closed 5 new stores since the start of the year, so that our network now comprises just 81 branches, compared with 89 18 months ago. Another point of satisfaction is the accelerated take-off of our online sales. Sales reached 11.3 million euros in the first half of the year. In other words, the many measures and actions we've taken in recent months are bearing fruit, and that's very encouraging. All the more so as we see positive signs for the end of the year. The summer should end on a high note, and the French are gradually regaining their morale. This suggests a brighter outlook for the months ahead."
