Sports retailer bucks trend with positive Christmas trading figures

Bury based sports fashion firm JD Sports has given an upbeat update on its trading performance over the Christmas period.

Against a bleak backdrop on the high street the firm said profits are in the upper area of expectations.

JD Sports Fashion has  announced an update on performance following the Christmas trading period.

Against a backdrop of widely reported retail challenges in the group’s core UK market, it is encouraging to report positive like for like trends in global Sports Fashion fascias, particularly overseas.

“Given the increasing significance of our international businesses in the overall group result, and the fact that there is a differentiated timing of the post-Christmas sale period in a number of our key overseas markets, the ultimate outturn will reflect trading in these markets through the remainder of January.

“We remain confident that the full year group headline profit before tax will be in the upper quartile of current market expectations which, after adjusting for the impact of the transition to IFRS 16, range from £403 million to £433 million.”

The preliminary results for the year ended 1 February 2020 will be published on 15 April 2020.