By Maarten van Tartwijk

AMSTERDAM--Koninklijke Ahold NV Thursday reported an 8% rise in fourth-quarter sales as the Dutch retailer benefited from a strong performance in the Netherlands.

Sales were 8.1 billion euros ($9.5 billion) in the last three quarters of 2014, compared with EUR7.5 billion in the same period a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet predicted sales of EUR8 billion.

Ahold also said that Albert Heijn Chief Executive Officer Sander van der Laan will step down as of Feb. 1. He will be succeeded by Wouter Kolk, who currently runs Albert Heijn's specialty stores and new markets operations.

Amsterdam-based Ahold said sales rose 4.5% in the Netherlands, thanks to a strong performance of its Albert Heijn chain during the holiday season.

In the U.S., where the retailer generates the bulk of its revenue, business was less robust, largely as a result of the weaker euro against the dollar. Sales fell by 0.5% at constant exchange rates and Ahold said it lost market share during the fourth quarter.

Write to Maarten van Tartwijk at maarten.vantartwijk@wsj.com