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