# JD Sports Fashion demand remained robust throughout the second half

- Link: https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/jd-sports-fashion-demand-remained-robust-throughout-the-second-half/412952557
- Published: 2021-01-11T07:17:43+00:00
- Author: Amilia Stone

**[JD Sports Fashion plc](https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/ftse-company/jd-sports-fashion/jd.l)**(
LON:JD) has announced an update on performance following the Christmas trading period.

Against a backdrop of further forced temporary store closures in many of our global
territories, it is pleasing to report that demand has remained robust throughout
the second half, including in the key months of November and December. Total revenues
for the twenty two week period to 2 January 2021 in the Group’s like for like businesses
were more than 5% ahead of the prior year as consumers readily switched between 
physical and digital channels.

The positive nature of the demand through the second half to date means that we 
are now confident that the Group headline profit before tax for the full year to
30 January 2021 will be significantly ahead of the current market expectations, 
which average approximately £295 million. It is now anticipated that the outturn
for the full year will be at least £400 million.

Looking ahead, it is clear that operational restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic
will also be a material factor through at least the first quarter of the year to
29 January 2022. Whilst we are confident that we have the proposition to continue
to attract consumers throughout this period, the process to scale down activity 
in stores and scale up the digital channels, often at extremely short notice, presents
significant challenges. We are indebted to all of our colleagues in our different
territories who have had to adopt new ways of working.

Under normal circumstances, we would be confident that the results for the forthcoming
year to 29 January 2022 would show a strong improvement on the current year. However,
given the ongoing uncertain outlook with stores in the UK likely to be closed until
at least Easter and closures in other countries possible at any time, our current
best estimate is that the Group headline profit before tax for the full year to 
29 January 2022 will be 5% to 10% ahead of the current year.

We intend to provide our next update on trading in JD Sports Fashion’s preliminary
results for the year ended 30 January 2021 which will be published on 13 April 2021.

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