ScS encouraged by return of strong trading
Upholstered furniture retailer ScS has seen its like-for-like order intake decline by 1.5% year-on-year in the 53 weeks to 31 July and by 6.5% on the corresponding period two years ago.
In a statement, ScS said its stores had been closed for 17 weeks of the year due to Covid-19 lockdowns, but have performed well following the easing of restrictions.
The retailer said: “Encouragingly, when our stores have been open performance has been strong, with the final seven weeks of the year seeing like-for-like orders growth of 23.7% when compared to 2019. The same period in the prior year benefited from strong pent-up demand following the re-opening of our stores in May 2020 after the first national lockdown.”
At 31 July 2021, ScS’s order book stood at £103.5 million including VAT, which was £1.2 million lower than at the same point in the prior year and £60.6 million higher than at the same point in 2019.
ScS added: “The next few months still hold a level of uncertainty, with the tone of government messaging at present being one of caution. However, given recent trading and the strength of the current order book, the board’s expectations for FY21 and FY22 are ahead of current market forecasts.”
