Agenda: Tesco, DFS, SCS and Topps Tiles update the market

SCS

The sofa specialist will report its preliminary results on Tuesday, October 3.

In a pre-close update in August, SCS said that order numbers declined 5% in the second half of the year due to “challenging comparatives and what appeared to be a softening market environment”.

The industry will be keen to find out what current trading looks like as the big ticket sector faces a challenging housing market.

Tesco

The big four grocer will report its interim results on Wednesday, October 4.

Tesco is expected to reveal another quarter of rising like-for-likes, making it the seventh consecutive quarter of like-for-like growth under chief executive Dave Lewis.

At its last quarter, UK like-for-likes were up 2.3% and monthly data from Kantar and Nielsen points to this trend continuing.

Topps Tiles

The tiling and flooring specialist will report its full year results on Wednesday, October 4.

Topps Tiles’ like-for-like sales slid 4.7% in its third quarter as the trading environment toughened, with the retailer suffering from the slowing housing market.

The specialist is attempting to counteract that with its “out-specialising the specialists” strategy.

DFS

The furniture specialist will report its preliminary figures on Thursday, October 5.

DFS, like most big ticket retailers, has struggled recently. While sales grew 7% in its first half, they shrank 4% in its second half, leading it to caution that its profitability would come in “at the low end” of its guided range.