Summary
JD Sports has reduced profit before tax expectations for the year to January 2027 after organic sales fell 1.3% in the second quarter to end July, with like-for-like sales down 3.1%. North America was the weakest market, recording organic sales falls of 4.5%, while footwear remained soft across all regions as consumers faced cost-of-living pressures and retailers competed through heavy discounting.
The UK delivered JD's strongest regional performance with like-for-like sales up 0.8%, bolstered by football replica kit sales. Apparel and accessories performed well across all regions, and Asia Pacific recorded 10.2% organic sales growth. Online sales rose 2.6%, and the retailer's expanding store estate contributed 2.1% to sales growth despite a lower overall store count.
CEO Régis Schultz said the retailer remains confident in its long-term strategy and expects to deliver unchanged free cash flow of £460m–£520m despite the profit downgrade. This marks the fourth consecutive year of falling profits for the Bury-based retailer, with analysts watching for signs of a return to like-for-like sales growth.
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Common questions
- What is this article about?
- JD Sports, headquartered in Bury, has lowered its full-year profit guidance to £700m–£800m from £750m–£850m following a challenging second quarter when group sales fell 1.3% on an organic basis. Weakness in North America and soft footwear demand drove the downgrade, though the UK proved the retailer's best-performing region.
- When was this published?
- This article was published on 20 August 2026.
- Who published this article?
- This article was published by Prolific North.