The British retail group JD Sports Fashion Plc achieved a solid increase in sales in the 2025/26 financial year despite a difficult global industry environment.
According to a statement published on Thursday, group sales in the financial year ended at the end of January reached almost 12.7 billion British pounds (14.7 billion euros). This exceeded the previous year’s level by 10.5 percent. Adjusted for exchange rate changes, revenues rose by 11.7 percent; on an organic basis they grew by 2.1 percent. However, like-for-like sales were 2.1 percent below the previous year’s level.
Due to the takeover of the Hibbett retail chain, North America became the group’s most important market region. Sales there rose on an organic basis by 3.2 percent to 4.78 billion British pounds. In Great Britain they were 3.11 billion British pounds (organic -2.5 percent), in the other European markets they amounted to 4.25 billion British pounds (organic +4.2 percent). In Asia Pacific, sales increased 8.5 percent on an organic basis to reach 527 million British pounds.
The profit falls short of the previous year’s level
However, higher costs meant that profit before taxes, adjusted for special effects, fell by 7.7 percent to 852 million British pounds. The net profit attributable to shareholders fell by eleven percent to 436 million British pounds.
With a view to the current 2026/27 financial year, management was cautious. In view of the numerous uncertainties, the company said it decided on an unexpectedly broad earnings forecast. Accordingly, the group expects a profit before taxes adjusted for special effects in the range of 750 to 850 million British pounds for the current year.
Strategic focuses include online business and the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI). The group plans to complete the global realignment of its own e-commerce. Following successful launches in North America and Italy, upgrades are planned for the UK and the rest of Europe later this year.
The retailer is also accelerating the use of AI. This will be integrated into the operating model to “improve discoverability through agentic AI platforms and optimize merchandising decisions such as the timing of price reductions,” the group explained.
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