Q2 Ahead for Ahold Delhaize With a Second Raise in Guidance for the Year

Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize released second-quarter results that included sales up 3% (at constant currency) to EUR 18.6 billion, ahead of company-compiled consensus expectations of EUR 17.9 billion. Comparable sales growth was down 1.5% for the United States and up 2.4% for Europe versus consensus of 0% and 0.6%, respectively. Online sales growth across regions continued to be strong (up 61% in the U.S. and 26.9% in Europe), reflecting the group's resilience and solid presence in online as well as the long-lasting impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior. The underlying operating margin for the group was 4.4%, down 80 basis points versus last year, a function of tough 2020 comparables due to robust sales growth and operating leverage benefits that preceded significant investments related to the coronavirus to enhance pay and benefits, as well as extra costs associated with safety measures in stores.