Greetings card specialist Clinton Cards notched up a 1.2 per cent rise in third-quarter group like-for-likes, but is cautious about the outlook.

Comparable store sales rose 0.6 per cent at the eponymous chain and 3.5 per cent at Birthdays. For the 39-week period to the same date, like-for-likes advanced 1.8 per cent at group level, 1.1 per cent at Clinton’s and 4.3 per cent at Birthdays.

Kaupthing analyst Matthew McEachran observed that sales had slowed at both chains over the period. He said: “The disappointment will be Birthdays, which is more value-oriented and requires strong like-for-like growth to advance it towards break-even from being loss-making.”

He feared that the upgrades that followed Clinton’s interim results might be reversed.

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