AHO Koninklijke Ahold N V

Ahold today announced consolidated net sales of EUR 6.6 billion for the fourth quarter ending December 28, 2008. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2007, net sales increased by 12.9% and increased by 5.9% at constant exchange rates.

For the full year, net sales were EUR 25.7 billion, 3.3% higher compared to 2007. At constant exchange rates, net sales were up 6.9%.

In the fourth quarter Ahold had a solid sales performance in all of its major markets, with strong holiday sales in the United States and the Netherlands.

Sales performance

Stop & Shop / Giant-Landover

Fourth Quarter

  * Net sales increased 2.8% to USD 4.0 billion.
  * Net sales included USD 15 million of sales to Tops. Prior to its
    disposal, such sales were recorded as inter-company sales.
  * Identical sales increased 2.3% at Stop & Shop (4.0% excluding
    gasoline net sales) and increased 1.1% at Giant-Landover (1.0%
    excluding gasoline net sales), impacted by lower pharmacy sales.
  * Comparable sales increased 2.7% at Stop & Shop and increased 1.4%
    at Giant-Landover.

Full Year

  * Net sales increased 2.4% to USD 17.1 billion.
  * Net sales included USD 114 million of sales to Tops. Prior to its
    disposal, such sales were recorded as inter-company sales.
  * Identical sales increased 2.4% at Stop & Shop (2.1% excluding
    gasoline net sales) and decreased 0.4% at Giant-Landover (0.5%
    excluding gasoline net sales), impacted by lower pharmacy sales.
  * Comparable sales increased 2.8% at Stop & Shop and decreased 0.2%
    at Giant-Landover.

Giant-Carlisle

Fourth Quarter

  * Net sales increased 7.9% to USD 1.1 billion.
  * Identical sales increased 4.6% (5.7% excluding gasoline net
    sales).
  * Comparable sales increased 5.4%.

Full Year

  * Net sales increased 10.0% to USD 4.7 billion.
  * Identical sales increased 6.3% (4.7% excluding gasoline net
    sales).
  * Comparable sales increased 7.1%.

Albert Heijn

Fourth Quarter

  * Net sales increased 11.6% to EUR 2.2 billion.
  * Net sales at Albert Heijn supermarkets were EUR 2.0 billion, up
    12.2% compared to last year, due in part to the conversion of
    former Schuitema stores into the Albert Heijn format during the
    third and fourth quarter of 2008.
  * Identical sales at Albert Heijn supermarkets increased 5.2%.

Full Year

  * Net sales increased 12.9% to EUR 9.0 billion.
  * Net sales at Albert Heijn supermarkets increased 13.2% to EUR 8.2
    billion.
  * Identical sales at Albert Heijn supermarkets increased 9.2%.

Albert / Hypernova (Czech Republic and Slovakia)

Fourth Quarter

  * Net sales increased 3.0% to EUR 440 million (decreased by 2.7% at
    constant exchange rates).
  * Identical sales decreased 3.1%.

Full Year

  * Net sales increased 13.9% to EUR 1.8 billion (increased by 2.8%
    at constant exchange rates).
  * Identical sales increased 3.2%.

Unconsolidated joint venture - ICA

Fourth Quarter

  * Net sales decreased 1.2% to EUR 2.4 billion. At constant exchange
    rates, net sales increased 8.1%.

Full Year

  * Net sales increased 6.3% to EUR 9.5 billion. At constant exchange
    rates, net sales increased 9.6%.

Net sales per segment


                Q4 2008   Q4 2007     %        FY       FY       %
(in millions)                       Change    2008     2007    Change
All segments
(in euros)

Stop & Shop /
 Giant-Landover   3,071     2,700   13.7%    11,681   12,192   (4.2%)
Giant-Carlisle      851       712   19.5%     3,238    3,145    3.0%
Ahold USA         3,922     3,412   14.9%    14,919   15,337   (2.7%)

Albert Heijn      2,233     2,001   11.6%     9,029    7,998   12.9%
Albert /
 Hypernova          440       427    3.0%     1,774    1,558   13.9%
Ahold Europe      2,673     2,428   10.1%    10,803    9,556   13.0%

Ahold Group       6,595     5,840   12.9%    25,722   24,893    3.3%

Unconsolidated
 joint venture -
 ICA              2,356     2,385   (1.2%)    9,460    8,900    6.3%
Average U.S.
 dollar exchange
 rate
 (EUR per USD)   0.7625    0.6894   10.6%    0.6828   0.7307   (6.6%)


U.S. segments
(in U.S.
dollars)

Stop & Shop /
 Giant-Landover   4,028     3,917    2.8%    17,097   16,689    2.4%
Giant-Carlisle    1,115     1,033    7.9%     4,738    4,307   10.0%

On June 30, 2008, Ahold completed the sale of its 73.2% interest in Schuitema N.V. to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. Schuitema was classified as a discontinued operation as of the first quarter of 2008.

CONTACT:
Ahold Press Office: +31 (0)20 509 5291

Notes

The net sales figures presented in this trading statement are preliminary and unaudited.

Definitions

  * Identical sales: net sales from exactly the same stores in local
    currency for the comparable period.
  * Comparable sales: identical sales plus net sales from replacement
    stores in local currency.
  * Constant exchange rates: excludes the impact of using different
    currency exchange rates to translate the financial information of
    certain of Ahold's subsidiaries or joint ventures to euros. For
    comparison purposes, the financial information of the previous
    year or quarter is adjusted using the average currency exchange
    rates for the current year or quarter in order to understand this
    currency impact.

Non-GAAP financial measures

This trading statement includes the following non-GAAP financial
measures:

  * Net sales, at constant exchange rates. Net sales, at constant
    exchange rates, exclude the impact of using different currency
    exchange rates to translate the financial information of certain
    Ahold subsidiaries or joint ventures to euros. Ahold's management
    believes this measure provides a better insight into the
    operating performance of Ahold's foreign subsidiaries or joint
    ventures.

  * Identical sales, excluding gasoline net sales. Because gasoline
    prices have experienced greater volatility than food prices,
    Ahold's management believes that by excluding gasoline net sales,
    this measure provides a better insight into the effect of
    gasoline net sales on Ahold's identical sales.

Ahold's financial year

  * Ahold's reporting calendar is based on 13 periods of four weeks.
    The quarters in 2008 were as follows:

First Quarter          December 31, 2007 through April 20, 2008
Second Quarter         April 21 through July 13, 2008
Third Quarter          July 14 through October 5, 2008
Fourth Quarter         October 6 through December 28, 2008

Please open the link below for the full version of the Trading Statement Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008: http://hugin.info/130711/R/1282688/287012.pdf

This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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