HM Records Growth for the Third-Quarter

As consumers return to shop for casual wear for working from home schemes, low-price clothing giants have generated significant bounce in sales.

Clothing retail company HM returns records better-than-expected pre-tax earning, reaching $230 million to SKr 2 billion for the period June to August.

H&M figures surpass Refinitiv analysts forecast at SKr 350 million and almost double the highest prediction.

This gives a halt to the bleeding as the market grew fearful over the incumbent issue with inventory buildup.

The overall sales remain negative at a 16% fall in Swedish Krona, H&M’s local currency. Still, this is better than the previous quarter’s yields, which stood at a worrisome 50% drop.

According to HM clothing’s executives, the bounce-back in sales is brought by successive price reductions that are significantly higher than last year’s record.

As the firm started its third quarter after generating a pickup in sales cuts saw relief.

During the period, 900 of 5,000 physical stores worldwide remained closed due to rising coronavirus cases in some countries. Only 200 stores remained temporarily closed by the end of August. Today, only 142 are not operating.

HM Clothing’s Antifragility Vision

According to the family-controlled firm, they look forward to coming out of the disruption “stronger.”

In recent years, HM clothing underwent a painful period of transformation after losing its valuable market position to Inditex, Zara’s Spanish owner. It adopted several initiatives to keep the business afloat.

One of the many steps it focused on over the recent months is cost-cutting measures. It suspended its dividend and cut its planned investments for the year.

Similarly, it moved its prospects towards sustainability, environmental protection, and similar initiatives towards conservation.

HM executives noted that it would close more physical stores than open new ones for the year.