Following an unusually warm summer that boosted online sales, Next is gearing up for chillier months ahead. On Thursday, the company said UK sales growth in the second half is now expected at 2%, down from 2.8%, and it lifted its full-year profit goal for a fourth time in this fiscal year on stronger-than-anticipated first-half clothing demand.
"We've moderated our expectations for the whole season, including Christmas," Chief Executive Simon Wolfson said. "Ultimately the inflation pressure is likely to feed through as pressure on the consumer." Although the UK economy fared better than expected through the summer, aided by sunshine and the World Cup, retailers have been grappling with higher energy costs tied to the conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up inflation and damped consumer sentiment.
Next said it is monitoring the combined strain of inflation, elevated interest rates and softness in the jobs market, and it anticipates a gradual, not "precipitous," cooling in spending. Full-priced sales at its roughly 500 UK stores fell in the first half, a drop that partly reflects tough comparisons to last year when Marks & Spencer Group Plc suffered a cyberattack. The company also noted soft demand for its own-brand menswear, a trend it expects to persist because it has not introduced fresh ranges.
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Wolfson described the setup as "a combination of inflationary pressures going through, particularly on energy as a result of the war, as we go through into the second half," adding that the government has limited fiscal space to protect households. He also cautioned against tax increases in the upcoming budget, saying, "If taxes on investment go up, then we'll have less investment in the UK and if we have less investment, we'll have less growth."
Next said its fastest growth is coming from international markets after it spent on marketing and upgrades to its direct-to-consumer website and delivery outside the UK. It lifted its second half outlook for international sales by 20%. The company has also been expanding its reach through acquisitions such as FatFace, Joules, Cath Kidston and Made.com, and through partnerships including using Zalando AG's fulfillment network.
In London on Thursday, shares were up as much as 3.3% before the advance faded. The stock set an all-time high in August after second-quarter sales surged, helped by warm conditions in Britain and pent-up demand across the Middle East and northern Europe. "We think that Next investors will be satisfied today as the company navigates industry headwinds with style," Jefferies analyst Frederick Wild wrote.
For everyday investors, the takeaway is straightforward: clothing demand has been a bright spot, but higher energy bills, mortgage costs and a softer backdrop in parts of the range point to a gentler run into winter. That mix can still work if international momentum holds and cost pressures cool, but the path looks more measured than merry.
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