JD Sports eyes higher first-half profits

Retail group JD Sports Fashion today said it expects to deliver a “satisfactory” rise in first-half profits as sales are lifted by the World Cup.

The firm said the build-up to the football festivities in Brazil had helped trading at its sports stores during the 18 weeks to 7 June, although it said divulging precise like-for-like figures at this stage would be “potentially misleading”.

“However, we are certainly pleased with the underlying performance of this segment in the period to date,” it added.

JD also owns outdoor goods chains Blacks and Millets, along with a controlling stake in Edinburgh-based Tiso, and said sales in this part of its business were making “positive progress against weak prior year comparatives”.

The group is due to report its first-half results on 17 September.