Dixons Carphone boosted by surge in online sales
Dixons Carphone saw its revenue edge up 2% to £10.3 billion in the year to 1 May after its online sales surged by 114%.
The owner of Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse grew its electrical sales by 12% in the period, although this was offset by a 55% fall in UK and Ireland mobile revenue.
Looking at the company’s various regions, electricals sales in the UK and Ireland rose by 8%, or by 14% on a like-for-like basis, while sales in Greece and its Nordics region rose by 10% and 17% respectively.
Meanwhile, Dixons Carphone reported a pre-tax profit of £33 million in the period compared to a loss of £140 million in the prior year.
The company benefited from particularly strong sales of products in the computer category as people adjusted to home working and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Alex Baldock, Dixons Carphone chief executive, said: “Technology has become even more central to people’s lives. As the market leader, with the winning omnichannel business model, we can make the most of that. The past year has seen us do so, growing a big online business and adding it to our in-store strengths. We’re now financially stronger too, allowing us to pay back over £200 million to governments and to recommence our dividend.”
Giving an update on the new financial year, Dixons Carphone said the strong trading had continued and that UK and Ireland electricals sales are up on the same period last year with around half of the sales coming through stores as expected.
Baldock added: “This year, we move to one brand in the UK (as we have in each international market), and Currys can become ever-more the first choice for all things tech, electrical and mobile, products and services alike. The start of the financial year has seen continued strong trading in all our markets and I’m more confident than ever in our prospects.”
