Cautionary notice
Overview
Business review
Governance
Financials
Investors
This Annual Report includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking
statements. Words such as committed, strategy, on track, opportunities, improve, trends, ongoing efforts, key priority, focused on, goals, future,
going forward, expect, aim, planning, prepare, vision, ahead, ambitions, keep, come, will, promises, strive, endeavor and policy or other similar
words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of
Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Such factors include, but are not limited to risks relating to competition and pressure on profit margins in the food retail industry; the impact
of the Company’s outstanding financial debt; future changes in accounting standards; the Company’s ability to generate positive cash flows;
general economic conditions; the Company’s international operations; the impact of economic conditions on consumer spending; turbulences
in the global credit markets and the economy; the significance of the Company’s U.S. operations and the concentration of its U.S. operations on
the east coast of the U.S.; increases in interest rates and the impact of downgrades in the Company’s credit ratings; competitive labor markets,
changes in labor conditions and labor disruptions; environmental liabilities associated with the properties that the Company owns or leases;
the Company’s inability to locate appropriate real estate or enter into real estate leases on commercially acceptable terms; exchange rate
fluctuations; additional expenses or capital expenditures associated with compliance with federal, regional, state and local laws and regulations
in the U.S., the Netherlands, Belgium and other countries; product liability claims and adverse publicity; risks related to corporate responsibility and
sustainable retailing; the Company’s inability to successfully implement its strategy, manage the growth of its business or realize the anticipated
benefits of acquisitions; its inability to successfully complete divestitures and the effect of contingent liabilities arising from completed divestitures;
unexpected outcomes with respect to tax audits; disruption of operations and other factors negatively affecting the Company’s suppliers;
the unsuccessful operation of the Company’s franchised and affiliated stores; natural disasters and geopolitical events; inherent limitations
in the Company’s control systems; the failure or breach of security of IT systems; changes in supplier terms; antitrust and similar legislation;
unexpected outcome in the Company’s legal proceedings; adverse results arising from the Company’s claims against its self-insurance programs;
increase in costs associated with the Company’s defined benefit pension plans; and other factors discussed in the Company’s public filings and
other disclosures.
Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available
to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company does not assume any
obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.
Outside the Netherlands Ahold Delhaize presents itself under the name “Royal Ahold Delhaize” or “Ahold Delhaize”. For the reader’s convenience,
“Ahold Delhaize”, the “Company”, the “company”, “Ahold Delhaize group” or the “Group” is also used throughout this Annual Report.
The Company’s registered name is “Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V.”
Nielsen’s information as included in this Annual Report does not constitute a reliable independent basis for investment advice or Nielsen’s opinion
as to the value of any security or the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling any security.
Ahold Delhaize Annual Report 2016 ^50
