Mothercare UK like-for-like sales up 4.5% in fourth quarter
Mothercare has posted a 4.5% uplift in UK like-for-like sales in its fourth quarter as customers responded well to its spring/summer ranges and new website.
In the 11 weeks to 25 March, UK online sales rose by 13.6% which means that ecommerce sales now account for around 41% of the retailer’s UK trade.
Mothercare ended the quarter with 152 stores in the UK of which five were ELC stores.
Mark Newton-Jones, chief executive of Mothercare, said: “Following a solid final quarter, our overall group performance remains broadly in line with market expectations for the year.
“We have made further progress in the period, with the UK performing particularly well on a like-for like basis. Customers’ response to our spring/summer ranges has been positive, as has the feedback on the new website and our new store environment; over the past two years we have successfully refurbished 70% of the store estate to our new, modern format.”
However, Mothercare said its total sales for the full year to 25 March, including international, were down 2.2%.
International retail sales were down 1.7% in constant currency and up 15.4% in actual currency, reflecting ongoing currency tailwinds.
Mothercare is now trading online in 21 countries with full year online sales growth of 64% in constant currency and 86% in actual currency.
Newton-Jones added: “In our international business, we have seen strong sales in China, Indonesia and Russia supported by currency tailwinds, whilst the continuing economic conditions in the Middle East remain challenging. We continue to export our learnings from the UK and as a result, have launched ten new websites this year, bringing our total to 21 countries now trading online. We still see many opportunities in existing and new markets around the world that are open to us.”
