17th Sep 2013 06:51
LONDON (Alliance News) - Debenhams PLC Tuesday said it expects its full-year pretax profit to be in line with current expectations.
The department-store chain said in a pre-close trading statement, before the release of its full year results on October 24, that like-for-like sales in the 52 weeks to August 31 rose 2.0%. It said that like-for-like sales were up 1.9% in the 10-weeks to August 31, as it got a sales boost from a warmer than normal UK summer.
The retailer said that its gross transaction value was up 2.1% in the 10-weeks to August 31, and was up 2.5% for the year. It said that is achieved ongoing market share gains in its clothing and non-clothing categories, including womenswear and beauty.
It said that online sales rose 46% in the year and that it increased its online market share by 50 basis points, to 3.7%.
Debenhams said it saw significant growth in mobile retail, with visits up 72%, and revenue up 128% during the year.
Debenhams said that its UK retail business sector performed well in the first half of the year, as it completed the modernisation on 12 stores during the year, and opened several new stores. It also said that the transformation project for its Oxford Street flagship store is on schedule, on budget, and disruption to store trading in line with expectations.
The retailer, which has interests in Ireland, France and Denmark, said that it performed well internationally in the second half of the year, following a number of store closures in the first half, and saw growth in its international online business. It said that it saw a particularly strong sales performance from its Danish department store, with like-for-like sales up 7.2% for the year.
Debenhams did not include any actual sales figures, just percentage changes.
By Rowena Harris-Doughty; [email protected]; @rharrisdoughty
Copyright 2013 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
Debenhams