Hallenstein says first-half profit rose as much as 35% after stronger Christmas trading

Hallenstein says first-half profit rose as much as 35% after stronger Christmas trading
Sophie Boot
By Sophie Boot Feb. 3 (BusinessDesk) - Hallenstein Glasson Holdings said first-half profit rose about 34 percent after the retailer said it enjoyed a stronger Christmas trading season. Group sales rose 9.4 percent to $122.9 million in the six months to Feb. 1, with an 11 percent gain over the critical December period. The clothing retailer said net profit for the six months ended Feb. 1 was between $9 million and $9.2 million, up from $6.8 million a year earlier. Gross margin in the first half widened about 1.4 percentage points reflectin...