The JD Sports Fashion group has continued to perform outstandingly in the last weeks. The company reported in September that the comparable store sales for all of its retail banners had increased by about 10 percent for the 26 weeks until July 30. It added earlier this week that the cumulative comparable store sales growth for the 49 weeks to Jan. 7 remained at this level. JD Sports Fashion pointed out that this comes after strong comparable store sales increases in the previous three years. The update did not provide any breakdown between the group's sports fashion stores and its and outdoor retail concepts, which include Blacks, Millets, Tiso and Ultimate Outdoors. As previously reported, this outdoor retail arm is to expand with the acquisition of Go Outdoors. The British company's board expects that the headline profit before tax and exceptional items for the fiscal year ending on Jan. 28 will be above consensus market expectations of £200 million (€228.9m-$243.7m) by up to 15 percent. JD Sports Fashion said the performance should be achieved despite the requirement for ongoing investment in the operational infrastructure required to support an increasingly complex and international group. Peter Cowgill, the group's executive chairman, added in a statement that it would be unreasonable to expect comparable sales growth to be maintained at recent levels for a fifth consecutive year, but he is confident about the development of both its U.K. and international retail business.

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