Play and education sales help boost Smyths’ UK arms to record profits

Sales of Furby, Monopoly Millionaire, and learning tablets last year helped the British and Northern Ireland arms of family-owned Irish toy-seller Smyths record combined pre-tax profits of £2.7m (€3.2m).

The Galway-headquartered business is Ireland’s largest toy retailer and recorded the profit after revenues at the two units increased by 47% from £123.8m to £181.8m in the 12 months to the end of December. However, the prior period, when the £123.8m revenues were recorded, was only for a nine-month period.

Accounts just filed with Companies House in the UK for Smyths Toys UK Ltd and Smyths Toys NI Ltd show pre-tax profits last year fell 12%, from £3.09m to £2.72m.