Next raises raises full year guidance, again

Charlie Huggins, manager of the ‘Quality Shares Portfolio’ at Wealth Club, commented:

“Next has pulled another rabbit out of the hat today, leading to a further upgrade to its full year sales and profit guidance.

UK consumer spending appears to have defied gravity. A strong employment market and rising wages have helped cushion inflationary cost pressures, meaning consumers have continued to spend, despite the gloomy economic headlines.

Not all retailers have benefited, as the travails of Wilko show. Next has capitalised by doing the simple things well. Once again its operational execution continues to outshine almost all of its competitors.

Looking ahead to 2024, the outlook for sales growth is uncertain, with a softening in the labour market having potential to dampen growth in consumer demand. However, cost pressures are expected to ease significantly, which should be good news for profit margins.

Overall, this is an excellent set of results from Next. The UK economy may have held up better than most expected, but it has still presented immense challenges. Next has executed brilliantly, reinforcing its reputation as one of the best run retailers.”

Please note that Charlie Huggins owns shares in Next.