Next Raises Profit and Sales Guidance for 2025

Next has once again upgraded its profit guidance for the fiscal year 2024/25, raising expectations by £15 million to a total of £995 million, driven by strong sales performance that exceeded forecasts. Total group sales rose by 8% to £2.95 billion, while profit before tax increased by 7.1% to £452 million for the six months ending July 2024. This marks the ninth consecutive guidance upgrade for the retailer, which is benefiting from a significant recovery since the pandemic and a successful international expansion strategy. Notably, full-price sales for the first half of the year jumped 6.9%, and overseas online sales surged over 20%. Despite challenges in the UK market, Next's diversified product range and e-commerce capabilities have positioned it well for future growth. Analysts suggest that continued strong performance may lead to further guidance revisions in the near future.