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Card Factory has announced that its adjusted profit-before-tax has fallen 46.4% to £7.5m for the six months ended 31 July, compared with £14m in HY25.
The company put this down to the timing of efficiency-focused investments including an upgrade to its point of sale till system.
Despite this, the group’s revenue rose 5.9% to £247.6m reflecting positive performance in core stores business and continued execution of strategy. Furthermore, its LFL store revenue grew by 1.5% against a backdrop of softer summer high street footfall due to the hot weather.
During the period, Card Factory continued to expand its profitable store estate with +30 net new stores year-on-year, of which 13 were opened in HY26, surpassing the 1,100 store milestone.
Looking ahead, the company stated that its FY26 expectations remain unchanged, reflecting its “resilient revenue performance, strong H2 trading plans”, and the benefits of its simplify and scale programme.
CEO Darcy Willson-Rymer said: “Our resilient first half performance against a challenging retail backdrop demonstrates the effective execution of our growth strategy and our ability to navigate inflationary pressures.
“Our core stores business performed positively during the period, supported by new store openings, while our ongoing range development resonated strongly with customers, driving successful Spring seasons.”
He added: At the same time, we continued to advance our growth priorities, expanding partnerships and accelerating our digital strategy through the acquisition of Funky Pigeon. With the peak festive season ahead, we are well prepared for our most important trading period.
“Building on the success of our H1 seasonal performance, we have strong plans in place for H2 to deliver on our quality and value proposition including new Christmas ranges and a significantly expanded Halloween range. These plans, combined with our ongoing productivity and efficiency programme, mean our expectations for the full year remain unchanged.”
