Breaking the symbolic €1 billion barrier, France’s Groupe Intersport, which is also responsible for Belgium and Luxembourg, reports a 5.7 percent sales increase in 2005 to €1,027 million. Sales in France grew by 5.9 percent, indicating further gains in market share, with increases of 11 percent for the Intersport stores operating in the mountains and 7 percent for the others. On a same-store basis, these two channels recorded increases of 2 and 1.4 percent, respectively. Still on a comparable basis, the discount-oriented Halle au Sport banner recorded a sales increase of 19.47 percent and Sport Leader went up by 1.1 percent, while Sport Expert fell by 9.91 percent. Only 7 stores are now affiliated to the group’s 2-year-old shoes-only banner, Shooz, and the first one has since raised its sales by 10.5 percent. Sales in Belgium and Luxembourg rose by 2.3 percent on a comparable basis last year.