UK's JD Sports Confident on Forecasts after First-half Beat

A logo is seen outside the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
A logo is seen outside the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
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UK's JD Sports Confident on Forecasts after First-half Beat

A logo is seen outside the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo
A logo is seen outside the newly renovated JD Sports store at Westfield Stratford City in London, Britain, July 30, 2024. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/File Photo

British sportswear retailer JD Sports Fashion beat a consensus forecast for first-half profit and said it was on track to meet annual guidance, showing its multi-brand strategy working at a time when Nike is struggling.
The FTSE 100-listed group, which sells Nike, Adidas, On, HOKA and other brands in Britain, Europe and the United States, said on Wednesday it would meet targets, despite what it called a competitive and promotional marketplace.
Nike on Tuesday posted disappointing quarterly sales growth and
warned
its holiday season would likely to be filled with discounts.
For the 26 weeks to Aug. 3, JD Sports posted adjusted pretax profit of 405.6 million pounds ($538.35 million), ahead of analyst expectations of 384 million pounds.
"Our success is a direct reflection of the strength and agility of our global, multi-brand strategy, which allows us to adapt swiftly to fast-changing industry trends across the world," Reuters quoted Chief Executive Regis Schultz as saying in a statement.
The group also reiterated its guidance for annual profit of between 955 million pounds and 1.035 billion pounds.



Primark Boss Marchant Resigns after 'Error of Judgment'

A Primark store is seen on Oxford Street, in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
A Primark store is seen on Oxford Street, in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
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Primark Boss Marchant Resigns after 'Error of Judgment'

A Primark store is seen on Oxford Street, in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo
A Primark store is seen on Oxford Street, in London, Britain, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

The head of fast fashion chain Primark, Paul Marchant, has resigned with immediate effect after he admitted an "error of judgment" towards a woman in a social environment.
Parent-company Associated British Foods said in a statement on Monday that Marchant had accepted his actions fell below the standards expected, and the head of the 14 billion pound conglomerate said he was "immensely disappointed".
Primark has over 450 stores in 17 countries across Europe and the United States, with Marchant growing operating profit from about 250 million pounds to over a billion pounds during his more than 15 years in charge, Reuters reported.
Primark, founded in Ireland and has a huge presence on British high streets, contributes about half of group profit to AB Foods, which also owns major grocery, sugar, agriculture and ingredients businesses.
Shares in the parent company were trading down 3.5% on Monday morning.
"I am immensely disappointed. At ABF, we believe that high standards of integrity are essential," said CEO George Weston.
"Acting responsibly is the only way to build and manage a business over the long term. Colleagues and others must be treated with respect and dignity. Our culture has to be, and is, bigger than any one individual."
The group said that Marchant had cooperated with an investigation led by external lawyers, and acknowledged his "error of judgment".
It said he had apologized to the individual concerned, the group's board and also to his Primark colleagues and others connected to the business.
Eoin Tonge, AB Foods' finance director, will act as Primark chief executive on an interim basis working with the senior Primark management team and Primark's Strategic Advisory Board, while Joana Edwards, AB Foods' financial controller, will act as interim finance director.
"It is, indeed, a very disappointing, to say the least, end for Mr. Marchant and all at Primark and ABF, where he has overseen the development of a fine value-based retailer with strong prospects for growth," said analysts at Shore Capital.
AB Foods said the group would continue to offer support to the individual who brought this behavior to its attention.