British food retailer, Tesco today topped analysts' forecasts with year profits of £1.401 billion (sterling) and said it had met its long-held overseas profit targets.
Tesco's underlying pre-tax profit of £1.401 billioncompared with analysts forecast profits of £1.337-£1.399 billion. Turnover grew 11.5 per cent to £28.6 billion.
The company owns 77 stores in the State and has 24 per cent of the Irish grocery retail market.
The group currently purchases €1.4 billion worth of stock from Irish suppliers.
Tesco employs some 10,000 people in the Republic, a figures that is set to rise by 1,500 as part of a €100 million expansion that will see the chain diversify beyond its core grocery activities.
