REG - Card Factory PLC - Trading Statement

Card FactoryAnnouncement

Today 07:00

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
https://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20260128:nRSb6237Qa&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 6237Q  Card Factory PLC  28 January 2026

28 January 2026

Card Factory plc

 

("cardfactory" or the "Group")

 

Trading Statement

 

Trading in line with revised guidance. Continued progress against strategic
objectives

 

Card Factory plc, the UK's leading specialist retailer of greeting cards,
gifts and celebration essentials, announces a trading update for the eleven
months ended 31 December 2025.

 

Darcy Willson-Rymer, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"We are on track to deliver profits in line with our revised guidance
announced on 12 December 2025. During the second half of the year and
particularly the important Christmas period, trading in our UK stores
reflected the challenging consumer backdrop which contributed to soft high
street footfall. Across the Group, we are encouraged by the performance of our
international businesses and that the integration of Funky Pigeon remains on
track.

"While the outlook for the UK high street remains uncertain, we continue to
focus on our value-led proposition to help our customers celebrate all life's
moments. In addition, we continue to successfully drive efficiencies and
manage costs through our 'Simplify and Scale' programme. The Board remains
confident in the Group's prospects and continued momentum of our growth
strategy.

 

Christmas Trading Update

Christmas trading was in line with our revised expectations, reflecting the
challenging UK consumer backdrop and lower footfall(1) across UK shopping
destinations. Trading across November and December 2025 saw:

 

·      Total Group revenue growth of +4.3% compared to the same period
last year.

·      Total stores sales down -0.8%.

·      Like-for-Like (LFL) store revenue down -1.2%.

 

 (1)BRC Footfall Monitor December 2025

 

YTD Trading Update

Total Group revenue for the eleven months ended 31 December 2025 of £541.6
million was up +7.3% year-on-year, supported by positive contributions from
acquired businesses:

 

·      Total store sales increased by +1.1%.

·      LFL store sales were flat.

 

Throughout the year, we have continued to progress our strategic priorities,
including expanding the offer in our partnerships business and accelerating
our digital strategy through the acquisition of Funky Pigeon. The performances
of our acquired businesses, particularly those in North America and the
Republic of Ireland, were in line with our expectations and together with
Funky Pigeon, contributed to the increase in Group revenue year-on-year. Our
ongoing 'Simplify and Scale' programme has largely mitigated persistent cost
inflation.

 

Outlook

We expect to deliver our revised guidance of adjusted Profit Before Tax
(excluding one-off and non-trading items) for FY26 of between £55 million and
£60 million. The Board anticipates declaring a progressive full-year dividend
in line with the Group's capital allocation policy. The previously announced
programme to purchase shares to satisfy future employee share schemes, has
successfully concluded for FY26, at a total cost of £5 million. The Board
remains confident in the long-term prospects of the business.

 

Our Preliminary results will be announced on 28 April 2026 when a further
update on the strategic and operational progress of the business will be
provided.

 

 

Enquiries

Card Factory
plc
        via Teneo (below)

Darcy Willson-Rymer, Chief Executive Officer

Matthias Seeger, Chief Financial Officer

 

Teneo
                                 +44 (0) 207
260 2700

James Macey White / Anthony Di
Natale
        cardfactory@teneo.com (mailto:cardfactory@teneo.com)

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  TSTSEDFAWEMSEDF



            Copyright 2019 Regulatory News Service, all rights reserved