Card factory celebrates bumper year

  Cards and gifts manufacturer, Card Factory, is celebrating a strong year following further store openings and a move into new international markets.

 The Wakefield-based company said expansion of its gifts and celebration essentials range has also helped it outperform the wider occasions market.

 Announcing its preliminary results for the year to 31 January, Card Factory said group revenue was up 6.2% to £542.5m. Adjusted profit before tax increased by 6.3% to £66m which, said the company,

reflected ‘the disciplined management of operating costs and the benefits of its ongoing efficiency and productivity programme’.

 Card Factory added that its targeted acquisitions of Garlanna in the Republic of Ireland and Garven in the US had accelerated its partnerships strategy by increasing the group’s international presence and routes to market.

 Thirty-two new stores were opened during the year as part of an £18.4m investment, increasing the group’s footprint to 1,090 outlets at the end of January.

Trading in the first months of the new financial year has been in line with management expectations, with strong FY26 sales of its Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day products and new gifts and celebration essentials ranges.

The board’s expectations for FY26 remain unchanged and it expects to deliver mid-to-high single-digit percentage increases in adjusted profit before tax.

 Darcy Willson-Rymer, CEO, said: “Our performance in FY25 demonstrates the strength and resilience of Card Factory and our strategy as we continue to evolve the business into a leading global celebrations group. We delivered strong revenue growth, outperforming the wider celebration occasions market.  Further expansion of our store estate combined with continued development of our gift and celebration essentials categories, were key drivers of our performance.

 “We are now halfway into our ‘opening our new future’ growth strategy and I am pleased with what we have achieved across the business. With entry into new markets, including the US, and expansion of existing partnerships, we are reaching more customers, in more locations.

 “As we move into FY26, good momentum has continued during our Spring seasons. Despite an uncertain and inflationary backdrop, we remain confident in our ability to deliver mid-to-high single-digit percentage profit growth, underpinned by our strategic focus, our ongoing productivity and efficiency programme and our strong financial discipline. I want to thank our dedicated colleagues whose passion and focus on helping our customers celebrate life’s moments, continues to drive our success.”