Bonmarché, one of the UK’s largest women’s value retailers, has reported a 1.3% decline in like-for-like sales in the 13 weeks to 26 December 2015.
Sales for the quarter increased by 3.4% with sales for the 39 weeks to 26 December 2015 up by 5.3% and store LFL sales ahead by 0.8%.
| Store only LFL% change | Online only sales % change | LFL stores + online % change | Total sales % change | |
| Q1 – 13 weeks ended 27
June 2015 |
(1.7%) | 11.4% | (0.7%) | 3.8% |
| Q2 – 13 weeks ended 26 September 2015 | 6.1% | (3.6%) | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| Q3 – 13 weeks ended 26 December 2015 | (1.3%) | 3.9% | (0.8%) | 3.4% |
| December – 5 weeks ended 26
December 2015 |
(2.7%) | (2.4%) | (2.7%) | 1.7% |
| Year to date – 39 weeks ended 26 December 2015 | 0.8% | 4.1% | 1.1% | 5.3% |
At the end of December 2015, Bonmarché traded from 310 stores and online (2014: 282 stores and online).
Outlook
The company’s said its financial position remains sound and the Board’s expectations for the full year are in line with the guidance issued on 16 December 2015.
Beth Butterwick, chief executive officer of Bonmarché, said: “As noted in our announcement on 16 December 2015, trading conditions during November and December were very challenging and as a result, the Board revised its profit expectations for the current financial year. In the short period since Christmas, demand has trended towards more normal levels. The Board’s view of the expected outcome for the year is unchanged and it therefore reiterates its expectation that the PBT will be within the range of £10.5m to £12.0m.”
