Dive Brief:
- Ahold Delhaize reported a 2.7% increase in comparable-store sales growth excluding gas in the U.S. during its fourth quarter of 2025, according to a Wednesday earnings release.
- Net sales for the grocer’s U.S. segment increased by 2.5% at constant exchange rates to around 13 billion euros ($15.4 billion) in Q4 and, for fiscal year 2025, increased by 2% to 53 billion euros ($62.9 billion).
- Stop & Shop, which has been working to improve its financial performance, has posted positive comparable sales growth since April as a result of continued price investments and customer experience initiatives, the company said.
Dive Insight:
While Food Lion remains Ahold Delhaize USA’s top performer, reaching its 53rd consecutive quarter of comps-sales growth and seeing more than 35% e-commerce growth in Q4, investments towards improving Stop & Shop are putting the banner in the green, executives told investors.
Stop & Shop remodeled more than 30 stores in 2025, furthering Ahold Delhaize’s revitalization plan for the banner that began several years ago. Price investments for the chain now cover roughly two-thirds of its fleet and are supported by a stronger private label assortment, new marketing and in-store signage, and upgraded stores, Ahold Delhaize President and CEO Frans Muller said during the earnings call.
“Stop & Shop improved store standards, service, and value perception… [W]e have seen steadily improving trends in comparable sales growth, including volume growth,” Muller said.
JP O’Meara, Ahold Delhaize’s senior vice president and head of investor relations, added that the company plans to increase price investments from 65% to 80% of Stop & Shop’s sales. He noted that Stop & Shop has an online penetration of around 11% as well as a high penetration of private brand products, proving that “things are going in the right direction” for the banner.
“There’s a new wind, a positive wind, blowing at Stop & Shop for not only the associates, but also for our customers,” O’Meara said about investments towards the banner.
Stop & Shop operates in a highly competitive Northeast region, and experts have said the chain has fallen behind as companies like Costco, Wegmans, Big Y and others improve their operations. Ahold Delhaize executives have said in recent years that store remodels are boosting Stop & Shop’s sales.
Ahold Delhaize’s online sales improved year-over-year this past quarter by nearly 13%, with the U.S. leading this momentum, finishing the quarter at a 22.8% increase in digital sales.
Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. online sales proved to be a driving force, not only for Q4, but for the entire year, as well. The company’s online sales for 2025 increased by 13.3%, with stateside e-commerce sales growing by 18.2%.
