Structurally stronger - the best first quarter to date
First quarter - 1 May to 31 July
- Net sales amounted to 3,278 MSEK (2,814), an increase of 16%, of which 11% related to organic growth, 3% acquisition and 2% to currency effects
- Online sales amounted to 734 MSEK (542), an increase of 35%, of which 15% related to acquisitions
- Operating profit amounted to 393 MSEK (278)
- Profit after tax totalled 302 MSEK (208)
- Earnings per share was 4.75 SEK (3.27)
- In connection with the Capital Markets Day on 3 June, the company provided an in-depth overview of its strategy and future development, and presented new financial targets for the coming three-year period. Read more about the new targets on page 3 in the report
Events after the end of the reporting period
- Net sales in August amounted to 1,154 MSEK (1,017), an increase of 13%, of which 8% related to organic growth, 3% acquisition and 3% to currency effects
CEO Kristofer Tonström comments on first quarter 2026/27:
Since the launch of the new strategy in 2022, Clas Ohlson has become a structurally stronger company and the development continued during the first quarter of 2026/27. Organic sales growth amounted to 11 per cent and operating profit strengthened by 42 per cent compared to last year. Free cash flow in the quarter increased to 363 MSEK (306) and earnings per share were SEK 4.75 (3.27). All in all, this is our best first quarter to date. It is the combination of our all-weather assortment, the strong brand and an appreciated customer meeting that drives growth, while cost discipline and capital efficiency create the conditions for sustainable value creation over time.
Relevance throughout the entire quarter
As always, the period May to July offers a variety of customer needs and varying demand for seasonal products. When the heat drove the demand for fans and air conditioning in June, we had the right products on the shelf and with successful launches of new products for the garden and outdoor life, we moved our positions further forward within the traditional summer range. At the same time, we had great success with, for example, tech accessories and food preparation, which shows that our work to balance exciting news with relevance in the basic range is paying off. We increased sales in all five prioritised product niches during the quarter.
Strong development in the store network
At the Capital Markets Day in June, we announced our ambition to continue to open stores at the same pace over the next three years as in the past three years, i.e. approximately 10 net new stores per year. In the quarter, we opened a new store in Sweden and are preparing for three more new stores in Norway and Finland during the second quarter. In addition, we will carry out several rebuilds of existing stores, where we will expand the sales area and create better conditions for continued growth. During the quarter, new stores contributed 2 per cent to the organic sales growth, while sales in comparable units contributed 9 per cent.
Growing e-com in multiple channels
E-commerce continues to strengthen as a growth engine and the share of online sales of total net sales in the quarter amounted to 22 per cent. A distinctive feature of the quarter was a very strong development in several of Spares' sales channels, both in terms of B2C and B2B. In June, Poland and the Netherlands were also opened as new sales markets for Batteriexperten. In addition to the positive sales trend here and now, the success of the acquired companies is also a good example of the breadth of opportunities we have to create long-term value for both customers and shareholders.
A clear path forward
We will continue to sharpen the strengths that drive Clas Ohlson forward. Thanks to our assortment, brand and customer meeting we have a strong position in a large and growing addressable market. With operational efficiency and selective acquisitions, we see further growth opportunities. At the Capital Markets Day, we presented new financial targets for the next three years. The targets should not be seen individually or as a ceiling for our ambition, but as a coherent framework for disciplined and profitable growth. We will of course take advantage of opportunities to develop faster, but not at the expense of profitability or return on capital.
An autumn with many exciting product news
Our employees do a fantastic job of meeting our customers in our various sales channels every day. Customer satisfaction measured in NPS in the quarter was on average 56 (scale -100 to 100), which is a very competitive level. With an organic sales increase of 8 per cent in August we can conclude that we have handled the seasonal change in a good way. We are now looking forward to an autumn where we can continue to contribute to a better and more comfortable everyday life for our customers with new, relevant products. Behind the scenes, preparations for the important Christmas season are also entering their final stages. In short, there is a lot going on at Clas Ohlson, and there are always new milestones to reach! See you in stores and online!
Webcasted presentation today at 9.00 a.m. CEST
President and CEO Kristofer Tonström and CFO Pernilla Walfridsson will comment on the report at 9:00 CEST today at a webcasted presentation. The presentation will be held in English and is followed by a Q&A session. If you wish to participate via webcast, please use the link below. Via the webcast you are able to ask written questions. Link to webcast. If you wish to participate via teleconference please register on the link below. After registration you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference. You can ask questions verbally via the teleconference. Link to teleconference. An on-demand version of the webcast will be available at about.clasohlson.com after closing of the presentation.
For further information, please contact:
Niklas Carlsson, Head of External Communications and IR, +46 247 444 29, niklas.carlsson@clasohlson.se
This information is information that Clas Ohlson is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 2026-09-03 07:00 CEST.
About Us
Clas Ohlson was founded in 1918 as a mail order company in Insjön, Dalarna. Today, we offer a carefully selected range of affordable quality products for a comfortable everyday life for our customers. We have approximately 250 stores and e-commerce in Sweden, Norway and Finland, as well as online sales in several additional European markets via subsidiaries. The Group has just over 5,000 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 13 billion. Clas Ohlson's share (CLAS B) is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Large Cap. Read more at about.clasohlson.com
