Licensing Award winning retailer put in strong performance across number of countries.
Primark has today reported that full year sales are 13% ahead of last year, mainly driven by an increase in retail selling space of 9%.
The retailer – which picked up Best Kids Retailer of Licensed Product, Best Retailer of Adult Licensed Product and the Top Retailer of the Year accolades at The Licensing Awards this year – saw like for like sales for the 52 weeks to September 12 increase 1%.
Like for like sales in the early part of the financial year were impacted by unseasonably warm weather, however this was followed up by strong trading across the Christmas season.
Adjusted operating profit was £673 million compared to £662 million in the previous year.
During the year, Primark opened nearly one million square feet of selling space – this brought the total estate to 293 stores.
Some 20 new stores were opened including Primark’s first foray into the US market, with a 77,000 square foot store in Boston.
The retailer has plans for a further seven stores in the US, with the majority opening next year.
Primark has considerably upped the space dedicated to licences in recent years. Brands currently featuring in the retailer include Star Wars, Minions, Disney Princesses and Spider-man among others.
Pictured above are Sarah Jackson (buying controller kidswear and head of licence UK and Northern Europe), Steve Lawton (trading director) and Marlise Wilson (buying controller kidswear) with Alexander Armstrong and DreamWorks’ head of UK licensing, Richard Hollis.
