date:Jan 17, 2014
Dutch grocer Ahold reported a steeper-than-expected decline in fourth-quarter sales, as the U.S. food market contracted and customers in the Netherlands spent less per visit to its shops.
The group, which makes three-fifths of its revenue in the United States, said on Thursday sales fell by 4.2 percent, or 1.1 percent at constant exchange rates, to 7.47 billion euros ($10.2 billion).
That compared with analysts' expectations averaging 7.76 billion euros, with a range of 7.43 billion to 8.41 bi