Including a veritable feast of Christmas sales reports and a big hire for Dunelm.
The Source rounds up some of the key retail stories of the week.
Marks & Spencer saw its clothing and home like for like sales rise 2.3% for the third quarter to December 31. The good performance in the division – which is a priority for new chief executive Steve Rowe – also saw total sales increase 3.1%. Group like for likes, meanwhile, were up 1.3% while total UK sales grew 4.5%.
Fast fashion retailer Primark has warned that operating profit margin will decline over the year ahead, due to the impact of the strong US dollar on input costs. The chain posted a sales jump of 11% during the 16 weeks to January 7, as it boosted its selling space by 12%. At actual exchange rates, total sales grew 22%.
Mothercare saw a return to growth in its third quarter, with a 1% rise in UK like for like sales in the 13 weeks to January 7. Total sales edged up by 0.6%. Online sales grew 5.5% during the period and made up 40% of overall UK sales. Overall group sales increase 1.8%, meanwhile.
Homewares business Dunelm has appointed Fiona Lambert – the former boss of George at Asda – as its new product director. Fiona spent eight years in Asda’s George fashion and homewares business, before moving on to run own-label brand development at the retailer.
Toy retailer The Entertainer has reported that in the five weeks leading up to December 31, 2016, it posted an increase in total sales of 13.5%. Friday, December 23 was the largest trading day during the period. In addition, like for like sales grew 2.6%, while online sales grew 31.7%. Sales relating to the retailers click and collect service increased 25% year on year.
Department store sales at John Lewis grew 4.9% to £998 million for the six weeks to December 31, 2016. The retailer saw a 2.7% increase in like for likes and particularly strong sales of its own-brand fashion. Meanwhile, sales across the Partnership – including Waitrose – grew 5% to £1,913 million for the six-week period.
Value retailer Lidl has said it enjoyed its “most successful” Christmas period in 2016, with total revenues growing 10% year on year during the festive season. However, Lidl did not reveal a specific reporting period or a like for like sales figure.
Etailer ASOS has hailed a ‘record’ Christmas, with UK retail sales growing 18% in the four months to December 31, 2016. Its international sales were boosted 52% – lifted by the weak pound and US import duty benefits. ASOS said it is now expecting full year sales to be up by around 25-30%.
Ted Baker was another fashion retailer enjoying a buoyant Christmas – it recorded a 17.9% lift in retail sales, while online sales grew 35% for the eight weeks to January 7. During the period, the retailer also opened further concessions in China, a store in Indonesia and its first branch in Bahrain.
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