Original URL: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/10/23/dsgi_first_half_down/
Grim news at Dixons
Sales, margins and investment down
Posted in IT Channel, 23rd October 2008 08:13 GMT
Free whitepaper – Straight Talk with Dell: Sending out an SaaS
Dixons Store Group International (DSGi) updated the markets today on a miserable six months of trading.
Like-for-like sales fell 7 per cent for the 24 weeks ended 18 October 2008 and gross margins were down 0.7 per cent.
The company said: "Consumer confidence has significantly deteriorated across Europe, particularly in more discretionary areas, in recent weeks."
UK Computing sales were down 11 per cent, UK and Ireland Electricals were down 7 per cent, Nordics down 6 per cent and Southern Europe fell 10 per cent.
DSGi said it was slashing £30m in expenditure. The company said its store renewal programme was progressing well and early results were exceeding expectations.
The group expects 7 Currys and 4 Currys.digital stores to open before peak trading in the run up to Christmas. There should be 40 new format PC World stores open by mid-November and the UK's largest electrical store - a 55,000 square foot Currys Megastore - has opened near Birmingham.
10,000 shop staff have completed the first stage of their training scheme. The official statement is here as a pdf. (http://www.dsgiplc.com/Uploads/%7B2d60017c-1b23-4317-8223-31db189c2158%7D/DSGi%20H1%20trading%20statement%2023%20Oct%2008.pdf)
DSGi shares are down just over 80 per cent in a year, from 121p to 25.5p, but were up strongly today in a falling market.®