Next has reported a fall in full-price sales from stores but saw a big upturn in online sales in its third quarter, ensuring that its profit expectations for the year remain unchanged.

For the third quarter to October 30, Next reported a 6.3% fall in retail sales compared with a 9.7% upturn in online sales. Compared year on year, retail sales were down 4.8%, while online sales rose by 11.1%.

The retailer reported a 7% increase in finance interest income, and a 2% uptick in total full-price sales, including interest.

Next said its estimated full-year 2020 profit before tax remains ÂŁ725m, a 0.3% increase on 2018/19 full-year profits.

The retailer said it had experienced strong sales in July, which “pulled forward sales from August”, while its September sales were affected by “unusually warm weather”. However, it said sales improved significantly in October with the falling temperatures.

While its strong October “recouped some of the lost sales in September”, Next said it did not “expect growth for the rest of the year to be as strong as October”.

Next will issue its Christmas trading update on January 3, 2020.

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