Topps Tiles like-for-likes slipped 4.7% in its first half as pre-tax profits dropped 22% to £7.2m.
The tiling specialist has experienced a jump in current trading however, with like-for-likes up 4.5% in the seven weeks to May 19.
Total sales fell 3% to £86.6m in the 26 weeks to March 31. The retailer maintained its overall gross margin over the period.
Topps Tiles chief executive Matthew Williams said the first half performance was “in line with expectations” and was set against tough comparatives.
He said: “In the environment of continuing low levels of consumer confidence and housing transactions, we have been, and continue to be, focused on optimising returns from the existing store estate whilst continuing to make the investments necessary to support longer term growth.
“In the last seven weeks we have been encouraged by trading although it is too early to determine whether this marks the beginning of a broader trend.”
Williams said he expects trading conditions for retailers reliant on discretionary spend to remain challenging during the second half.
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