 Next is seeing customers migrate to ordering from home |
Next has seen its first-half profits rise 3.6% after a strong performance by its catalogue and internet division offset a drop in same-store sales. The UK fashion retailer had pre-tax profits of �179m in the six months to 30 June, compared with �173m in the same period a year earlier.
While sales at its Next Directory catalogue and internet arm rose 15.3%, like-for-like store sales fell 7.5%.
The results beat market forecasts and pushed Next shares up 5.8% in London.
Total turnover for the Next group was �1.51bn in the first half of 2006, compared with �1.4bn last year.
Looking towards the end of the year, Next said sales were currently being helped by the cooler weather, but admitted that it saw like-for-like store sales falling between 2% and 5% during the second half of 2006.
It expects overall sales to rise due to new store openings and the continuing popularity of the Next Directory division.
One-Minute World News 
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