H&M Says Shoppers Are Cautious as Q2 Sales Fall More Than Expected

A view shows an H&M warehouse at Magna Park in Milton Keynes, Britain, September 26, 2021. Picture taken September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
A view shows an H&M warehouse at Magna Park in Milton Keynes, Britain, September 26, 2021. Picture taken September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
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H&M Says Shoppers Are Cautious as Q2 Sales Fall More Than Expected

A view shows an H&M warehouse at Magna Park in Milton Keynes, Britain, September 26, 2021. Picture taken September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
A view shows an H&M warehouse at Magna Park in Milton Keynes, Britain, September 26, 2021. Picture taken September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers/File Photo

Swedish fashion retailer H&M reported on Thursday a slightly bigger drop than expected in second-quarter sales and said it expected sales in June, measured in local currencies, to rise 3%.

CEO Daniel Erver said in a statement that times are uncertain, with cautious consumers, Reuters reported.

Retailers are navigating Trump's rapidly shifting tariff announcements as concerns grow about resurgent inflation and a global economic slowdown, which have dampened shopping enthusiasm in the United States and other major consumer markets.

"The company is closely monitoring developments in global trade and trade restrictions," H&M said.

The world's second-largest listed fashion retailer's sales in the March-May period were 56.7 billion crowns ($5.99 billion), down from 59.6 billion a year ago. Analysts polled by LSEG had on average forecast a turnover of 57.0 billion crowns.

Measured in local currencies, sales were however up 1%.

"With good flexibility in the supply chain and through the pricing of the customer offering there are opportunities to adapt the business to changed conditions," H&M said.

Operating profit fell to 5.91 billion crowns from 7.10 billion, against a forecast of 5.88 billion.



Burberry Shows Early Signs of Recovery as 1st Quarter Sales Fall Less than Expected

FILE PHOTO: A Burberry store is seen in London, Britain, January 16, 2023.  REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Burberry store is seen in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
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Burberry Shows Early Signs of Recovery as 1st Quarter Sales Fall Less than Expected

FILE PHOTO: A Burberry store is seen in London, Britain, January 16, 2023.  REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A Burberry store is seen in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

Burberry's retail sales fell by a less-than-expected 1% in the first quarter, it reported on Friday, in early signs of a recovery for the British luxury brand struggling with underperformance.

Shares in Burberry, which have more than doubled since September, rose 5% in early London trade.

Known for its trench coats and check pattern scarves, Burberry is using its British heritage designs to try to win back customers under the leadership of CEO Josh Schulman, who took over a year ago.

Comparable sales returned to growth in Europe, the company said, while trading in the Americas strengthened. Sales fell in China and in the rest of Asia, but the rate of decline was around half the level seen in the previous quarter.

"The improvement in our first-quarter comparable sales, strength in our core categories, and uptick in brand desirability give us conviction in the path ahead," Schulman said, adding that the autumn collection was being "well received".

Burberry has issued several profit warnings in recent years, and as part of its turnaround drive since Schulman took over, it plans to cut a fifth of its global workforce, a radical cost-cutting measure that investors have welcomed.

The 1% drop in overall comparable retail sales in the first quarter, which ended on June 28, beat analysts' forecasts for a 3% decline in a consensus provided by the company, and improved on a 6% fall in the previous quarter.

According to Reuters, analysts at Citi said the brand had reported its third consecutive quarter of like-for-like improvement since Schulman launched its new strategy last November, implying comparable sales could turn positive in the current quarter.

"In a quarter marked by further macro and geopolitical pressures and weaker tourist spending in Europe and Japan, Burberry has likely held up better than peers quarter-on-quarter," they said.