Its sales have been on the rise since its arrival in the country in 2009. The growth in sales slowed down last year, compared with the 24% growth rate of 2017 over 2016.
The profit and number of employees of Decathlon went up, too. Net profit rose by more than 55%, over three times faster than sales, which means the profit margin went up. The number of employees reached almost 1,200, following the opening of new stores.
Decathlon now has 25 brick and mortar stores and an online store in Romania and plans to continue expansion. Its stores are primarily found in shopping centers or retail parks. They are big, much bigger than the rivals’, which is why the retailer rarely goes to malls.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)