Dixy plans to open 180 stores in 2017 - CEO
MOSCOW. March 16 (Interfax) - Dixy plans to open 180 stores in 2017, with the majority opened in the second half of the year, Dixy CEO Sergei Belyakov said during a conference call with analysts.
The forecast for the year was given without taking into account closings, he said. The company did not reveal how many stores it planned to close in 2017.
Dixy opened 141 stores and closed 47 stores in 2016, after which the company's network expanded by 94 new stores. The rates of growth decreased significantly in comparison to 2015 when the retailer opened 513 new stores, including closings. In December 2016 the company opened 14 new stores, in comparison with 41 stores in December 2015. The company's overall selling space increased 5% to 952,500 square meters at the end of December 2016.