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Johannesburg - Fashion retailer Foschini [JSE:FOS] witnessed a 19.6% increase in diluted headline earnings per share (Heps) to 619.9 cents from 518.2 cents for the year ending in March.
The I-Net Bridge consensus forecast was for diluted HEPS of 638.1 cents and a total dividend of 335.1 cents.
The group declared a final dividend of 212 cents per share, which brought the total dividend for the year to 350 cents per share.
Retail turnover was up 15.5% to R9.9bn.
The group said a more positive consumer sentiment with improved consumer spending had become evident since the beginning of the financial year, and accelerated more particularly in the second half with Christmas trading above expectation.
Foschini's operating margin increased to 23.2% from 22.9% and total sales increased by 15.5% over the previous year with growths in the various merchandise categories as follows: clothing 15.7%, jewellery 10.6%, cosmetics 8.8%, homewares 15.3% and cellphones 26.5%.
Cash sales as a percentage of total sales increased to 38.5% from 37.4%.
The group's @home division grew turnover by 15.5% to R679m.
Exact! increased its store base by three stores during the year to 208 stores.
Clothing turnover increased by 22.4%, with same store turnover growth of 20.2% and cellphone turnover increasing by 24.5%.
The Foschini division - comprising Foschini, Donna-Claire, Fashion Express and Luella - increased its store base to 484 stores during the year.
"Performance was substantially better in the second half of the year, with growth of 17.7% compared with 7.2% in the first half," the group said.
Clothing turnover grew by 12.4% for the year, with growth in the second half of 19.4%.
The jewellery division, comprising American Swiss, Sterns and Matrix, increased merchandise turnover by 10.8% and cellphone turnover by 15.8%.
The Markham division increased its store base by 13 stores to 247 stores.
"After a good first half, trading improved in the second half, with clothing turnover growth of 23.7% resulting in total clothing growth for the year of 18.8%," it said.
The group's sports division, trading as Totalsports, Sportscene and Duesouth, traded satisfactorily, assisted in the first half by the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, with turnover growth for the year of 16.7% and same store turnover growth of 9.9%.
Foschini said retail turnover for the first seven weeks of the new financial year had been encouraging and above expectation, though some caution was warranted given expected levels of inflation, the interest rate environment and the potential impact on its customers.
The I-Net Bridge consensus forecast was for diluted HEPS of 638.1 cents and a total dividend of 335.1 cents.
The group declared a final dividend of 212 cents per share, which brought the total dividend for the year to 350 cents per share.
Retail turnover was up 15.5% to R9.9bn.
The group said a more positive consumer sentiment with improved consumer spending had become evident since the beginning of the financial year, and accelerated more particularly in the second half with Christmas trading above expectation.
Foschini's operating margin increased to 23.2% from 22.9% and total sales increased by 15.5% over the previous year with growths in the various merchandise categories as follows: clothing 15.7%, jewellery 10.6%, cosmetics 8.8%, homewares 15.3% and cellphones 26.5%.
Cash sales as a percentage of total sales increased to 38.5% from 37.4%.
The group's @home division grew turnover by 15.5% to R679m.
Exact! increased its store base by three stores during the year to 208 stores.
Clothing turnover increased by 22.4%, with same store turnover growth of 20.2% and cellphone turnover increasing by 24.5%.
The Foschini division - comprising Foschini, Donna-Claire, Fashion Express and Luella - increased its store base to 484 stores during the year.
"Performance was substantially better in the second half of the year, with growth of 17.7% compared with 7.2% in the first half," the group said.
Clothing turnover grew by 12.4% for the year, with growth in the second half of 19.4%.
The jewellery division, comprising American Swiss, Sterns and Matrix, increased merchandise turnover by 10.8% and cellphone turnover by 15.8%.
The Markham division increased its store base by 13 stores to 247 stores.
"After a good first half, trading improved in the second half, with clothing turnover growth of 23.7% resulting in total clothing growth for the year of 18.8%," it said.
The group's sports division, trading as Totalsports, Sportscene and Duesouth, traded satisfactorily, assisted in the first half by the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, with turnover growth for the year of 16.7% and same store turnover growth of 9.9%.
Foschini said retail turnover for the first seven weeks of the new financial year had been encouraging and above expectation, though some caution was warranted given expected levels of inflation, the interest rate environment and the potential impact on its customers.
