HIGH street chain JD Sports Fashion said it was on course to beat annual profit expectations as it posted a 12 per cent rise in like-for-like sales over Christmas.
Shares rose 7 per cent as JD said headline profits for the year to the end of January would grow by even more than the 17 per cent increase to £90 million that had been at the top end of city forecasts. The increase in like-for-like store sales for the five weeks to January 3 continued a trend in the financial year-to-date with sales also up 12 per cent in the 48-week period.