French Connection profits remain in fashion

Shoppers have helped UK high street fashion chain French Connection to deliver a 14% boost in sales in the last five weeks, the company said today.

The group was upbeat about its prospects for 2003 and said its own “robust” formula had helped it boost custom.

Like-for-like sales growth of 11% in its high street business in the year to January 31 provided French Connection with a 30% lift in pre-tax profits before one-off items at £30.2m (€44m).

Chairman Stephen Marks said sales in the second half of the last financial year had been particularly strong.

He added: “The business has developed a robust formula that has enabled us to perform extremely well.

“The reaction to the new season product, our strong retail performance and growth in forward order books gives us confidence that we will have another exciting year of significant growth.”