Fast Retailing's GU sees sales rising despite disappointing comps, Theory still struggles
At youth brand GU, in the three months through May 2025 (that is, Q3) revenue rose to ¥90.4 billion (€527bn/£454bn/US$615), up 4.1%, while operating profit rose 12.1% to ¥12.4 billion.
Despite strong sales of GU's range of Barrel Leg Pants, Sweat Look T-shirts, DRY T-shirts, and other items, same-store sales increased only slightly year-on-year 'due insufficient volumes and marketing of potentially promising products such as haori-style jackets and long T-shirts,' the company said.
Meanwhile, the nine months to May saw GU revenue up 4% to ¥256.2 billion and operating profit down 10.7% at ¥26.3 billion.
The gross profit margin declined as yen weakness pushed up the cost of sales. The selling, general and administrative expense ratio increased as the expansion in sales wasn't enough to counter higher costs in areas such as salaries.
As for the group's Global Brands, its said Q3 revenue declined 4.6% to ¥32.7 billion but operating profit increased 35.1% to ¥1.9 billion.
Revenue declined 'on the back of lacklustre sales at the Theory label. Both Theory Japan and Theory Asia reported lower revenue and profit levels 'on the back of struggling department store sales and declining consumer appetite for apparel, respectively'.
Meanwhile overall profit increased due to a contraction in losses at the Comptoir des Cotonniers label'. Revenue at Comptoir des Cotonniers declined because store numbers had been reduced, but same-store sales increased.
And in the nine months through May 2025, the segment reported a 3.1% drop in revenue to ¥100.5 billion but moved into the black with operating profit of ¥2.8 billion (it had made an operating loss of ¥0.3 billion in the previous year).
Q3 at PLST saw 'sharply higher revenue and profit on the back of strong sales of new products and overall strong sales, buoyed by successful product launches at the Thank You Festival'. The company didn't give any monetary figures or percentages for PLST.
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