Carpetright Sales Improve But Company Still Wary

London, England, Oct. 28, 2009--Carpetright CEO Lord Harris said that the company has made solid start to the year but remained wary "about the retail market in the balance of the financial year."

Total sales increased 10.3% in the 12 weeks to Oct. 24. Year-over-year sales at stores open for more than a year rose 5.6% in the UK and Ireland, up from a rise of 1.4pc in the first quarter.
 
Lord Harris said he expected to make progress in talks with housebuilders and insurers to drum up additional business during the second half.

"The underlying carpet margin has remained in line with last year, whilst the greater proportion of beds sales in the mix has resulted in the overall UK gross profit percentage dropping by around 60 basis points," he said.

Carpetright's performance has been helped very weak comparative numbers in the same period last year. It has also benefited from collapse of rival Allied Carpets earlier this year.