Dixons Carphone today said its strategy to build a business around its customers’ needs in a more complex world was paying dividends.
The multichannel retailer trades as Currys, a Leading retailer in IRUK Top500 research, as PC World and as Carphone Warehouse, both Top50 retailers in the listing.
Today chief executive Seb James said: “Two years ago when we combined the businesses of Dixons Retail and Carphone Warehouse, we set out a strategy to create a powerful engine to help our customers navigate an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is therefore, very encouraging again to be able to report good growth in both sales and profits across all of our businesses.”
Dixons Carphone today reported revenue of £4.87bn in the six months to October 29, 11% up on the same time last year. UK sales of £2.988bn were 4% up on the previous year. The Connected World Services division reported sales of £98m, 46% up on the £67m reported a year earlier, and reported a new strategic partnership to enable customers of SSE to use the retailer’s honeyBee software to monitor their homes and appliances. Pre-tax profits of £104m were up from £78m a year earlier.
James said a strategy for an ambitious, innovative and customer-focused 2017 was now being drawn up.
He said that as yet the retailer had not seen any effect on consumer demand as a result of Brexit. But, he added: “We have been planning for the possibility of more uncertain times ahead. In particular, we have been focusing on reducing our fixed cost base, identifying areas of potential market share growth if the world becomes a tougher place for our competitors, and generally preparing for all eventualities – just in case.”
