During the Q&A session of the earnings call, the CEO mentioned that they are looking for older properties in Sweden with short-term lease agreements.
This is essentially a pilot project, and if it doesn’t gain traction, they can exit the Swedish market quickly.
Sounds like a smart way to operate.
Learning from mistakes is wisdom, and learning from the mistakes of others is even cheap 
Puuilo at least has a concept that works very well in Finland. It’s a shame I haven’t owned this since the IPO…
Sounds like exactly the right approach; not rushing in, but making calculated and low-risk moves. The hardware trade in Sweden isn’t so incredibly efficient that there wouldn’t be room for new concepts. Hopefully, Puuilo is still an entrepreneur-driven enough company so that economists, head office executives, and consultants don’t get the chance to ruin this.
There’s no need to fear Sweden too much. It’s easy to highlight the failures of Finnish companies when they’ve expanded to our neighbor with overconfidence, but for example, Motonet entered Sweden with its own slightly refined concept, and the move has clearly been profitable. The first two stores opened in 2023, and five more were added last year. This sounds exactly like the kind of approach that Puuilo has also emphasized.
In the worst-case scenario, Puuilo wastes a few million and comes back with its tail between its legs. In the best-case scenario, Sweden provides a growth path for over 10 years. As a shareholder, I am at least pleased that they are trying.
I buy the justifications in the sense that Puuilo’s average purchase value is relatively small, so it’s not worth driving across town for if you can get it, perhaps slightly more expensively, from a competitor. It is precisely these customers that are captured through these store openings… I mean, I’ve acted this way many times myself 
Puuilo founder Markku Tuomaala reduced his position by 400,000 shares:
PUUILO PLC, PRESS RELEASE, 2 July 2026 at 07:30 AM
Puuilo will open its first store in Sweden in the Marieberg retail hub in Örebro, neighboring Rusta and Byggmax, before the end of the year. The store is part of the company’s strategy to begin internationalization and pilot its operations in the Swedish market. Marieberg is one of Örebro’s most significant retail concentrations, and the area is easily accessible both locally and from a wider catchment area. Several strong retail operators operate in the area. Upon opening, the approximately 3,200 square meter store will employ about 13 people. Recruitment will begin in the near future.
“Sweden is a natural next step for Puuilo, and we are very pleased that the first lease agreement in Sweden has been signed. We have worked purposefully towards expanding into the market, and now we are ready to bring Puuilo’s wide range of products to Swedish customers. Örebro and the Marieberg area offer a strong commercial environment, good customer flows, and excellent accessibility, which support our concept well. This is an important first step for us, and from here we will begin building our store network in Sweden,” says CEO Juha Saarela.
You could hardly have a more central location. All possible competitors are there. Tokmanni/Dollarstore too.
It looks like Puuilo is going to be Puuilo in Sweden too I wonder how their “morjesta pöytään” slogan translates into the other national language?
Puuilo.se has published recruitment videos among other things, and there are indications on the site that an online store might open soon, possibly at the same time as the Örebro store.
The online store was, I believe, also opened in Sweden around 2016, but it was closed down at some point very quietly. If they were to pilot it properly, they could try it under a different name, but I find that quite unlikely.
How about something like “God dag i stugan!”? It’s a bit like saying “hello to the house” (morjensta tupaan).
It makes perfect sense to try piloting with the Puuilo brand, as building something new is time-consuming and likely more expensive as well.
PUUILO OYJ, PRESS RELEASE, July 17, 2026 at 07:30
Puuilo will open its second store in Sweden in the Birsta retail hub in Sundsvall in early 2027. The store will be opened in the building next to Plantagen, which previously housed Padel24Seven and K-Rauta. The store will be located in one of the most significant retail clusters in Northern Sweden, which attracts customers from a wide catchment area. The area features a diverse range of specialty and general retail stores and is highly accessible both locally and from the wider region. Upon opening, the approximately 3,300-square-meter store is expected to employ about 13 people. Recruitment will begin closer to the opening date.
“We are advancing in Sweden in phases and selecting our store locations with care. Sundsvall’s Birsta is an established and attractive retail hub that provides a strong commercial starting point for our operations. Locations like this support Puuilo’s concept and long-term growth in Sweden,” says CEO Juha Saarela.
Clickbait-free: Puuilo is Puuilo
Listen to the podcast here
According to Saarela, who appeared on the Vain Talouselämää podcast, Puuilo could have around 90 stores in both Finland and Sweden in the future. Currently, the company has about 50 stores in Finland, and the company has stated that it aims for a network of approximately 90 stores.
“If we can get ninety stores in Finland, then even with a conservative estimate, one could say that after a few years, when we can accelerate growth there, why couldn’t we have another ninety,” says Saarela.
Are 90+90 stores realistic, and what is the timeline? Those are bold visions, and it doesn’t seem to make them dizzy or afraid. In the podcast, Juha identifies two factors that differentiate Puuilo in succeeding with its conquest of Sweden:
Going organic, i.e., opening the stores ourselves
A slow start / progression with just a few stores
Motonet has also progressed well organically with good results in Sweden. Tokmanni is struggling with its Dollarstore acquisition.
Puuilo certainly hasn’t had any trouble deciding which approach is likely better and less risky at the moment. 
PUUILO OYJ, INSIDE INFORMATION, 1 September 2026, at 8:30 a.m. EEST
Puuilo is raising its outlook for the 2026 financial year (1 February 2026 – 31 January 2027). The comparable sales development at the beginning of the year has been better than anticipated. Profitability has also been supported by the positive development of the gross margin and successful cost management.
Outlook for the 2026 financial year
The company forecasts that revenue for the 2026 financial year will be EUR 495–515 million and adjusted EBITA will be EUR 87–97 million. Previously, the company forecasted that revenue for the 2026 financial year would be EUR 480–510 million and adjusted EBITA would be EUR 80–90 million.
The outlook for the financial year contains uncertainties related to changes in purchasing power and consumer behavior. In addition, geopolitical crises and international tensions may have an impact on the availability and prices of products.
Preliminary information on Q2/2026 performance
The preliminary, unaudited key figures for May–July (Q2/2026) are presented in the table below.
| EUR million | Q2/2026 | Q2/2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 153.2 | 135.8 | 442.3 |
| Adjusted EBITA* | 33.8 | 28.2 | 77.4 |
| Adjusted EBITA*% | 22.0% | 20.8% | 17.5% |
Puuilo’s financial year is 1 February – 31 January.
* Adjustments relate to items affecting comparability. Items affecting comparability are defined as material items outside the ordinary course of business which relate to strategic projects.
The preliminary figures seem to be pretty much in line with Arttu’s Q2 forecasts. There is likely upward pressure on the numbers for the rest of the year.
The positive profit warning was probably already largely factored into the forecast figures.
Arttu’s comments
Puuilo is opening a new store in Valkeakoski in the summer of 2027:
(Paywall)
Quite an interesting move in Valkeakoski. A town of 20,000 residents, with a migration net gain/loss of around ±0. The nearest Puuilo is at Lempäälä’s Ideapark, about 20 km away. In Valkeakoski, the “competitors” are K-rauta and Tokmanni. There is definitely a real need for a Puuilo-type store (many things previously required a trip to Ideapark), but sales won’t be astronomical, and Valkeakoski’s sales will eat into some of the Ideapark store’s revenue. They will probably attract some customers from the Toijala and Pälkäne directions, too.
[quote="Inspired, post:1892, topic:19301"]\nQuite an interesting move in Valkeakoski. A town of 20,000 residents, with ±0 net migration.\n[/quote]\n\nNot a huge surprise as a store location, considering Puuilo’s goal of a chain of over 90 stores in Finland by the end of 2030. There are only a few towns of 20,000 residents left without a Puuilo. Nurmijärvi, with its 45,000 residents, is the largest municipality without a Puuilo.