UK and Ireland sales up 10 per cent year-on-year, with Group revenue increasing eight per cent
Dixons Carphone has seen Q1 sales in the UK and Ireland jump 10 per cent year-on-year as a result of increasing smartphone sales. It didn’t reveal exact figures.
The retail giant was reporting its financial results for the 13 weeks ending August 1. Group revenue increased eight per cent on a like-for-like basis, which it said was driven largely by its UK and Irish business.
Sales in the Nordics were up four per cent from Q1 last year, with revenues flat in Southern Europe, adding there was improving trading in Spain and growth in Greece despite them being challenging markets.
It said that it remains on course to achieve at least £80 million in synergies by its 2016/2017 financial year.
Dixons Carphone Group chief executive Sebastian James was pleased with the Group’s “excellent growth” in Q1 but warned not to expect the same success in Q2 as a result of the anniversary of the Apple iPhone 6 launch and consolidation of the mobile market.
“This is a very encouraging first quarter with excellent growth for the Group overall, showing strong like-for-like revenues in the UK, driven principally by significant market share gain in phone sales. We have also continued to see improvements in customer satisfaction and price competitiveness through the period and across all our major territories.
“I am aware that there is plenty of the year left to go. In the next quarter we will anniversary the startlingly successful iPhone 6 launch, the consolidation of the mobile market and, later in the year, an extraordinary Black Friday.
“Nevertheless, our whole team believes that the business is in very good shape to have another successful year.”
There are also now 260 Carphone Warehouse stores within Currys/PC World outlets around the UK, with around 120 of these these converted Phones 4u shops following the collapse of the retailer last September.
An average of four per week are being fitted, and this will continue until mid-Autumn.
Five Sprint-branded stores, owned and staffed by the US operator but managed by Dixons Carphone’s Connected World Services division will open in Chicago and Miami next week, with around 10 to follow before Christmas as part of the trial. Work has already begun on stores to open in early 2016.