France's GO Sport Group saw gradual improvement in same-store sales, strong performance for GO Sport Poland and nearly flat sales at its Courir stores in the first quarter ended March 31.
The retailing group generated €155 million in sales, down 6.8 percent. Same-store sales were off 6.1 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013. In France, sales for the GO Sport banner decreased 8.8 percent on a same-store basis over the quarter.
Nevertheless, monthly same-store sales trend showed sequential improvement, mainly due to promotions. Sales for GO Sport in Poland were up 3.0 percent, following an increase in conversion rates the company attributed to various initiatives aimed at achieving operational excellence, as well as the success of cycling and running products.
Courir, which has historically focused on runners but is expanding into outdoor and other footwear categories, saw same-store sales dip 0.8 percent. Courir remodeled three stores during the quarter.
As of March 31, GO Sport Group operated 336 stores, including 179 GO Sport stores and 157 Couris stores. Franchisees operate 40 GO Sport stores, including 7 in France, and two of Courir stores overseas.
GO Sports Group is controlled by Rallye Group, which also owns the Casino Group, which operates the largest chain of convenience stores in France. Casino Group reported its sales of €11.3 billion, up 8.3 percent in currency-neutral terms.
