Discount Variety Retail Chain Action is already worth around 32 billion euros. This is more than the parent company of Albert Heijn, Ahold, chemical group DSM or medical device manufacturer Philips, among others.
For shampoo, a tea towel, craft book, bicycle light, socks and sweets, to name but a few, consumers are increasingly turning to Action. It helped that the prices of a total of 4,000 products were lowered.
In the first nine months of the year, an average of 17.6 million customers visited Action's stores. This is 15 % more than one year previously.
More sales
Turnover rose by more than 22 % to more than 3.3 billion euros in the third quarter. This means that, on average, customers are now spending more euros than last year.
It also helped that the total number of stores increased by 70. But we also bought more in the existing stores: a plus of more than 9 %.
Substantially more profit
Profit also increased, leaving 501 million euros at the bottom line, which is an increase of 31 percent compared to the same period a year earlier. Incidentally, this is the so-called EBITDA profit, which is the profit before deduction of interest, taxes and depreciation.
Action itself does not say anything about the net profit. Investor 3i only mentions the EBITDA profit.
Worth 32 billion euro
Action's strong growth (since January 2022, the number of stores has increased by more than 800, or 40 percent) can also be seen in the value that majority shareholder 3i attributes to it. According to 3i, Action is now worth more than 32 billion euros. Five years ago, it was 10 billion euros.
Ikea and Action lower prices, 'but many stores can't keep up'
When determining the value, 3i makes a number of assumptions, so that the value can also be a bit more or less. But accountants must put their signatures on these types of calculations so that the value will not deviate significantly.
Action was already the Dutch retail chain with the largest number of stores ever. It is now also one of the largest Dutch companies. If Action were listed on the stock exchange, it would fall just outside the top 10 most valuable companies. Action is worth more than Ahold Delhaize, the parent company of Albert Heijn and Etos, among others. Ahold is now worth around 30 billion euros on the stock exchange.
Action is also worth more than other well-known Dutch companies such as Philips, ABN AMRO bank, insurer NN, paint manufacturer AkzoNobel and employment agency Randstad.
Successful discounters
"Many consumers do not have enough budget to survive, just look at the figures about children who go to school without breakfast," retail expert Eva Rutten recently said about the success of discounters such as Action. "Even for many people above the poverty line it is difficult to make ends meet."
Consumers who do not necessarily need low prices also come to discounters, she says. "People are less ashamed to buy in cheap shops these days. You see that some customers buy very cheap brands in addition to more expensive brands."
Twelve countries
Action now has more than 2800 stores in twelve countries. Next year Action will also start in Switzerland and Romania. Spokesperson Lucie Hoopman does not want to say how many branches Action sees space for there.
In the Netherlands, the major growth seems to have stopped, at least in terms of the number of stores. There are now 417 stores here, three more than last year. Hoopman does not want to say whether Action is interested in Blokker properties: "the stores are still open, so it is still a bit early to be concerned with this".
Action lowers prices of 2500 products
The Netherlands is an important market for Action, says Rutten. "But keep in mind that the more than 400 Actions in our country account for only about 15 % of the total number of Action stores, and Action has already taken some of Blokker's market share."
Comments