Tag: i.t limited

  • I.T Limited sales goes up in China and Japan, but down in HK

    I.T Limited sales goes up in China and Japan, but down in HK

    Solid growth in Japan and China compensate for subdued sales in Hong Kong for fashion retailer I.T Limited.

    While Hong Kong sales slipped 5.1 per cent to HK$3.28 billion, much of that was related to store network rationalisation, with like-for-like sales down just 0.9 per cent. Mainland China sales rose by 10.9 per cent to HK$3.837 billion and in Japan, sales soared 29.3 per cent in Hong Kong currency, or 31.6 per cent in local currency, to HK$945.8 million.

    Total group turnover was up 4.8 per cent to HK$8.383 billion and net profit by 37.1 per cent to HK$431.9 million.

    I.T Group operates its own brands, including Chocolate and 5cm, concept stores Izzue and Double-Park; international brands it has local licences for including Kurt Geiger and Camper; and A Bathing Ape, which the company rescued from Japanese owners in 2011.

    I.T Limited’s total trading area shrunk by just 0.3 per cent in Hong Kong, reflecting the sheer size of its various brands’ network. But the company said the consolidation exercise and controlled discounting initiatives helped profitability. Same-store sales growth turned positive in the second half of the year.

    “The results in our Hong Kong and Macau segment are particularly noteworthy,” said chairman Sham Kar Wai.

    “They are not only due to the fact that Hong Kong is the home of the group and is one of the leading fashion marketplaces in Asia. They also reflected the determined efforts we made to move the business in our Hong Kong and Macau segment into positive territory in the second half of the financial year. We are also particularly encouraged by the recent relevant data showing signs of gradual recovery in the fashion retail industry in Hong Kong.”

    On the mainland, the group now has 492 stores and an online business. While same-store growth of less than 1 per cent was far lower than the previous year’s 17 per cent, it was against an unusually high base.

    I.T Limited is also experiencing solid growth in the US,m where it opened two new stores in Los Angeles.

    “Our business in Japan and the US continued to outperform, and we are particularly gratified that the responses to the two new Los Angeles shops have been overwhelmingly positive.”

  • I.T group positive sales despite store closures

    I.T group positive sales despite store closures

    Improved consumer sentiment across Greater China and strong sales growth in Hong Kong helped boost third-quarter business for Hong Kong multi-brand fashion group I.T Limited.

    With fewer discounts offered, the group also enhanced its gross margin for the three months to the end of November.

    However, store closures continued in Hong Kong in the face of a persistent upsurge in running costs, causing downward pressure on sales.

    I.T Group operates its own brands, including Chocolate and 5cm, concept stores Izzue and Double-Park; international brands it has local licences for including Kurt Geiger and Camper; and A Bathing Ape, which the company rescued from Japanese owners in 2011.

    While comparable-store sales growth in Hong Kong and Macau rose 2.4 per cent for the quarter, there was a 3.9 per cent dip for the first nine months.

    For Japan and the US, sales growth soared by 25.5 per cent for the quarter and 30.7 per cent for the nine months, while for China the growth was 1.5 and 1.1 per cent respectively.

    Gross profit margin for the quarter was up 1.6 points to 62.9 per cent in Hong Kong and Macau, edging up 0.8 points to 60.9 per cent for the nine months.

    For Japan and the US, the margin fell 0.8 points to 68.9 per cent, and eased 0.1 points to 70.8 per cent for the nine months, while in Mainland China it edged up 0.3 points to 64.8 per cent for the quarter, and rose 2.1 points to 62.8 per cent for the nine months.

    For the group overall, the rise was 1 point to 64.9 per cent for the quarter, and 1.6 points to 63.4 per cent for the nine months.

  • I.T. Limited sales rise despite Hong Kong

    I.T. Limited sales rise despite Hong Kong

    Apparel business I.T. Limited has boosted sales by 5.1 per cent to HK$3.393 billion in the first half year despite a slowdown in Hong Kong.

    But the company recorded a net loss of $31 million due to a non-recurring foreign exchange losspreviously reported totaling $79.6 million. Without that, profit would have increased by 32.8 per cent to $48.6 million.

    Gross profit increased by 1.4 per cent to HK$2.026 billion at a gross profit margin of 59.7 per cent, slightly down on the 61.9 per cent of a year ago.

    In Hong Kong, retail sales slipped 3.6 per cent to $1.571 billion, but I.T. Limited noted that was a lesser fall than the broader apparel market in the city. Same store sales fell by 0.9 per cent.

    But in China, where it has more than 580 stores, the company increased sales by 19.1 per cent to $1.336 billion.

    Total Macau sales rose 6.2 per cent to $101 million despite lower than expected tourist traffic.

    And Japan continued to outperform with total retail sales of HK$222.4 million, representing 6.9 per cent increase in Hong Kong dollars, or 27.5 per cent in local currency.

    The company said in the Hong Kong market, a slow economic recovery alongside diminished inbound tourist traffic growth (from Mainland China in particular), which was attributed predominantly to the strength of the HK dollar and the easing of immigration in multiple tourist destinations such as Europe, Japan and Korea, has placed “unprecedented challenges on the consumer retail market”.

    “Similarly, Mainland China, where domestic headwinds continued to cause considerable impact on consumer appetite and maintained lingering concerns about the economic prospect of the country, demonstrated by the depression of external import demand, has created a challenging economic environment for retailers in the region,” I.T. Limited said in its filing.

    “At this juncture, consumer sentiment across these regions remained weak, and retail sales growth was largely boosted by sales promotions.”

    The company said having a multifaceted business model with “inherent flexibility” will allow it to remain resilient in the face of the market challenges.

    “We also believe that innovation and differentiation are among the most relevant tools to support our position as a fashion leader across our operating regions and allow us to adapt to the rapidly changing fashion markets. To that end, the group continues to focus and invest in further strengthening its fashion platform through a combination of international brands assortment upgrades and new fashion concepts establishment within the in-house brands segment.

    “Today, we have a balanced portfolio showcasing a collection of the latest distinctive international brands alongside multiple innovative in-house brands, all of which have their own unique identities that complement each other well.”

    In the first half year, I.T. Limited’s house brands accounted for 56.8 per cent of its revenue.

  • I.T. Restricted beats the blues

    I.T. Restricted beats the blues

    Hong Kong attire retailer I.T. Restricted has boosted turnover by 6.four per cent on an expanded retail footprint, regardless of the retail downturn that has been squeezing its rivals.

    Complete gross sales reached HK$7.18 billion, with retail gross sales in Hong Kong, its largest market, up by zero.three per cent to HK$three.577 billion with similar retailer gross sales up zero.7 per cent.

    It added almost one per cent of retail flooring area in Hong Kong to 631,292 sqft.

    Mainland China offered probably the most progress, nevertheless, with gross sales up 18. 2 per cent to HK$2.56 billion and similar retailer gross sales up four.5 per cent.

    It added 12.three per cent of flooring area in China, reaching 978,854 sqft.

    And in Japan, the place the financial system had a sluggish yr, I.T.’s gross sales rose 5.four per cent in Hong Kong greenback phrases, or 14.5 per cent on Japanese foreign money, to HK$434 million.

    In Macau, complete retail gross sales rose 1.6 per cent to HK$221.three million.

    I.T. posted a gaggle revenue improve of 10.four per cent to HK$four.464 billion with a gross revenue margin of 62.2 per cent – up on the earlier yr’s 59.9 per cent. Internet revenue elevated 11.7 per cent to HK$312.9 million.

    In its earnings assertion, the corporate stated the enterprise setting throughout Hong Kong, mainland China and Japan had stabilised steadily.

    “Nevertheless, the financial restoration on a worldwide scale remained subdued and unsure. A number of home and peripheral elements, alongside the intensified regional tensions, continued to have appreciable impacts on the retail enterprise. Particularly, the political demonstration which started in late September 2014 in Hong Kong triggered a degree of disruption to our operations.”

    The corporate cited a “prudent but versatile strategy” to its enterprise in Hong Kong for weathering the storm out there which accounts for 50.6 per cent of its turnover.

    “The political demonstration, which lasted for greater than two months, extremely affected our retail enterprise in the course of the interval. While the shift of the Chinese language New Yr interval from January final yr to February this yr prolonged the normal buying season, the tempo of restoration progressed very slowly. In consequence, spending momentum and retailer visitors amongst native shoppers and inbound guests confirmed no signal of noticeable enchancment.”

    Shifting ahead, the corporate stated it might keep “a dominant and balanced retail presence” in Hong Kong, with extra greater measurement shops “to facilitate new concepts and new purchasing pleasure together with numerous in-store advertising campaigns which allow us to increase direct interplay with our clients”.

    Because of much less proactive reductions provided in the course of the yr, gross margin elevated 1.four proportion factors to 60.7 per cent. “Nevertheless, such achievement in gross margin has but to completely offset the rise in working prices, resembling rental and employees prices which remained probably the most good portion of our working bills.”

    In the meantime, Macau confirmed “modest progress” following the downturn in gaming spend.