The company said it had completed an internal investigation into the accounting irregularities which came to light earlier this year.

It emerged in February that profits at Ahold's US Foodservice division had been overstated by $856m, and the firm also found problems at other subsidiaries.

Ahold said the probe had uncovered an additional 73m euros in intentional accounting irregularities, bringing the total to about 970m euros.

Shares in the Dutch group have fallen by about a quarter since the accounting scandal was uncovered.

But shares climbed 3.7% to 7.5 euros on Tuesday as investors hoped that the worst was now over.

"Many investors are breathing a collective sign of relief.

"Maybe, just maybe, this is the end for most of the bad news," a Dutch trader said.