Halfords like-for-likes remained flat over Christmas as it ups its profit forecast for the year

Retail like-for-likes were up 0.4% while across the group they edged up 1%.

Total retail revenue also remained flat.

Halfords gave a small upgrade to its group pre-tax profit forecast for the year ending March 29, which it said would fall between £68m and £72m.

Travel solution like-for-likes dropped 8.2% with less child car seats sold over the Christmas period.

Cycling like-for-likes were down 1.6%. Halfords said the market was initially weak for older kids and adult mainstream cycles, although there was improvement later in the period, however, this was offset by an increase in premium cycles and cycle repairs.

Today, Halfords also announced a deal to sell Pinarello Cycles, the official bike for the British Olympic cycling team and the model that Tour De France winner Bradley Wiggins cycled to victory on. The cycles will be sold in store and online from spring this year.

Autocentres and car maintenance were up 5.6% and 6.1% respectively.

Halfords chief executive Matt Davies said: “We are pleased with the growth achieved in all of the service-led retail opportunities we had prioritised for increased investment, particularly car maintenance. 

“We aim to improve significantly the Halfords customer experience and develop category opportunities where our brand is under-represented in areas such as cycling parts, accessories and clothing; we are on track to deliver this expanded offer in the next financial year.”

For the 41 weeks to January 11, retail like-for-likes have slipped 0.9% and total retail sales dipped 1.2%, although a surge in its autocentre business pushed group revenue in to 0.8% growth.

Halfords online business channel continued to grow with 10.9% of customers shopping via the channel.