Asda, the UK retailer, has posted a fall in profits for 2010 due to a rise in share option costs and an increase in royalties to parent company Wal-Mart Stores.

In a filing with Companies House, Asda said its net profit fell 6.5% to GBP608m (US$945.9m) in the year to 31 December.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The UK’s second-largest retailer said it paid Wal-Mart GBP137m more in technical assistance, services and royalties in 2010. The company also paid GBP17.9m more in share options during the year.

Asda, meanwhile, saw its operating profit drop 10.5% to GBP805.1m. However, the retailer said operating profit minus the charges from technical assistance, services, royalties and the share options was up 6.4% to GBP1.02bn.

Revenue was up 3.6% to GBP20.55bn, with like-for-like sales, excluding petrol and VAT, increasing 0.6%.

“2010 was a successful year for Asda,” the company reported. It said that operating profit, excluding the payments to Wal-Mart and share option costs, grew at a faster rate than sales.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact