Kathmandu says Christmas sales miss expectations but margins improve

Kathmandu says Christmas sales miss expectations but margins improve
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Jan. 3 (BusinessDesk) - Kathmandu Holdings says first-half profit rose by as much as 8 percent after it managed to fatten gross margin, despite the Christmas shopping period falling short of expectations.  The retailer's same-store sales fell 1 percent in the 22 weeks ended Dec. 30, undoing much of the strong start to the financial year. Same-store sales in Australia were down 0.2 percent and in New Zealand, same-store sales fell 2.4 percent. Despite the top-line decline, Kathmandu improved its profitability, widening its g...