Business Reviews

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Argos


52 weeks to 1 March
2008
3 March
2007
Sales (£m) 4,320.9 4,164.0
Benchmark operating profit (£m) 376.2 325.0
Benchmark operating margin 8.7% 7.8%
     
Like-for-like change in sales 0.7% 2.4%
New space contribution to sales change 3.1% 5.5%
Total sales change 3.8% 7.9%
Gross margin movement Up c.50bps c.0bps
Benchmark operating profit change 16% 9%
Number of stores at period end 707 680
Of which Argos Extra stocked-in 278 238


Homebase


52 weeks to 1 March
2008
3 March
2007
Sales (£m) 1,568.5 1,594.2
Benchmark operating profit (£m) 45.1 53.4
Benchmark operating margin 2.9% 3.4%
Like-for-like change in sales (4.1%) (1.4%)
New space contribution to sales change 2.5% 3.6%
Total sales change (1.6%) 2.2%
Gross margin movement Up c.250bps Up c.300bps
Benchmark operating profit change (16%) 4%
Number of stores at period end 331 310
Of which contain a mezzanine floor 181 165
     
Store selling space at year-end ('000 sq ft) 15,398 14,560
Of which - garden centre area 3,505 3,304
- mezzanine floor area 1,909 1,776


Financial Services


52 weeks to 1 March
2008
3 March
2007
Sales (£m) 95.4 93.2
Benchmark operating profit before financing costs 25.1 22.8
Financing costs (19.6) (17.8)
Benchmark operating profit (£m) 5.5 5.0
     
Store card gross receivables

1 March
2008

482

3 March
2007

488

Personal loans gross receivables 9 24
Total gross receivables 491 472
Provision (59) (55)
Net receivables 432 417
     
Provision % of gross receivables 12.0% 11.7%


Central Activities


52 weeks to 1 March
2008
3 March
2007
Central Activities (£m) (28.8) (24.0)