Consolidated sales for Groupe Lapeyre amounted to Ï1,084.1 million at September 30, 2001, an increase of 15.3% compared with the first nine months of 2000.
Growth on a comparable scope of consolidation was 3.4%, of which 6.6% in France.
In a more uncertain economic environment, sales in France enjoyed satisfactory growth in the third quarter. In the rest of Europe, sales to consumers and contractors declined and sales to wholesalers and building materials suppliers continued to contract sharply.
In Brazil, where the economy worsened, business to consumer sales rose significantly in the third quarter, led by the opening of a new store in early August. Expressed in euros, sales were stable compared with the previous two quarters, due to the depreciation of the real against the euro.