SuperGroup this week said that ecommerce sales helped it to fast growth in retail sales during its latest financial year.
The fashion company, whose Superdry brand is a Top50 retailer in IRUK Top500 research, reported full-year sales of £589.5m in the 12 months to April 23, 21.1% up on the same time last year. Retail sales of £416.1m were 24.5% up on last time, while like-for-like sales, which strip out the effect of store openings and closures, were 11.3% up.
In the final quarter of the year, retail sales of £98.7m were 29.9% up on last time, with like-for-like sales up by 15.4%.
“Retail like-for-like performance in the period was strong against a challenging comparative last year, although it should be noted that this is the group’s lowest volume trading period,” said SuperGroup in a full-year trading update. “This performance reflects continued traction in ecommerce and initial benefits from our new sportswear and premium product ranges.”
The company forecast that profits for the year would be between £72.5m and £74m, as it takes forward a strategy that will see the Superdry brand expand through both “geographic and channel expansion”. In 2016 the company plans to open two new distribution centres, serving retail customers in Europe and North America and providing “a scaleable platform to support our growth ambitions”.
“The group has traded robustly throughout the final quarter as we continue to deliver our strategy to create a global lifestyle brand,” said Euan Sutherland, chief executive. “We have opened 24 net new stores across our targeted European markets and have a strong pipeline of new stores for the new financial year.”
He added: “Our focus remains on the extension of the Superdry brand and execution of clear growth opportunities, under-pinned by continued investment in infrastructure to strengthen our business.”
Superdry currently sells through 662 stores and concessions in 51 countries, while its ecommerce business operates through 26 international websites in 18 countries, 12 languages and delivering to 169 countries.
