Sales jump at Christmas
Women's clothing and footwear retailer Hobbs revealed sales up 19.6 per cent for the 13 weeks to December 31, compared with the same period the previous year.

There was strong growth in all areas, particularly accessories. The retailer said further margin improvement was achieved because of stronger buying and reduced markdown, resulting from strong sales in the run-up to Christmas.

Sales for Hobbs' first jewellery collection exceeded expectations and the Limited Edition collection - designed to celebrate Hobbs' 25th anniversary - was also a huge success.

The retailer opened three stores in the period, which performed ahead of expectations. Its first Middle East franchise debuted in Bahrain in January.

Hobbs chief executive Nick Samuel said: 'We believe that 2007 will be a year of further growth in profits and sales. We are confident we have an attractive collection for our customers and the store portfolio will increase steadily throughout the year to satisfy demand.'

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