Dixons Carphone, one of the last of the big retailers to report on Christmas trading, will reveal its numbers tomorrow.

The update is likely to show that the lights remain very much on at the electricals and mobile technology giant.

The retailer has already shared some details of its online Boxing Day Sale.

There was a 5% year-on-year rise in visits to the CurrysPC World sites between 9am and 10am on Boxing Day morning, and the average order value rose by the same amount.

Those are selective stats of course, representing a single hour of the seasonal trading period. However, they are likely to be an indicator of the direction of travel.

Argos and John Lewis

Other retailers’ trading statements show that electricals and technology were in demand over Christmas.

Argos, now owned by Sainsbury’s, posted an overall like-for-like rise of 4%, and flagged within that “strong sales growth” of products such as wearable tech, mobile phones, computers, TV and audio.

Over at department store group John Lewis, sales of electricals and home technology advanced 4.8% over Christmas.

So the signs are good that Dixons Carphone, the market leader, should also have done well.

That would be on the back of a strong first half, when the retailer flagged market share gains and sales and profits rose.

Staying positive

Dixons Carphone’s ever-ebullient chief executive Seb James reassured at December’s interims that the business was well prepared for “the possibility of more uncertain times ahead”, such as by looking at fixed costs.

He struck an optimistic note on prospects for Christmas and the year. There had been no Brexit effect on consumer demand, and James pledged continued ambition, innovation and customer focus.

In the run-up to tomorrow’s announcement, he was clearly feeling the same way.

A few days ago he tweeted: “Getting ready for Christmas trading statement next week. Plenty going on!” (If you want to follow him on Twitter by the way, his handle is @DCSebJ)

WHSmith

Also reporting this week, drawing the update season pretty much to a close, is bookseller and stationer WHSmith. That’s on Wednesday.

All the best for a successful week’s trading.

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