JD Sports reports improved performance in North America

In the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, which ended on the 2nd of August, JD Sports recorded total sales of 3.11 billion British pounds (3.6 billion euros). This reflects a decrease in like-for-like sales of 3.0%, but an increase of 2.2% in organic sales, on a comparable basis to the same period of the last financial year.
Following the launch of new footwear lines in North America, which offset the impact of key products reaching the end of their cycle, the retailer saw “an improved performance” in this region. Apparel and online sales also performed well. While like-for-like second quarter sales in this region declined by 2.3% year-on-year, organic sales rose by 4.8% year-on-year, reaching 1.12 billion British pounds (1.29 billion euros). The region accounted for 36% of total sales.
“In both Europe and the UK, we were annualising tough comparators from the Euros football tournament last year, but still saw a good underlying performance in apparel and from newer footwear lines”, emphasised Régis Schultz, CEO of the company.
In the second quarter of this financial year, JD Sports’ sales in Europe amounted to 1.06 billion British pounds (1.22 billion euros), representing a like-for-like decrease of 1.1%, but organic growth of 5.4%, as compared to the same quarter of the 2024/25 financial year. The retailer was hit hardest in the UK, with like-for-like sales declining by 6.1% and organic sales by 4.4%, totalling 806 million British pounds (928.2 million euros). These regions accounted for 34% and 25% of total sales, respectively.
Although the proportion of total sales was smaller, the company’s like-for-like sales in the Asia Pacific region increased by 0.3%, while organic sales increased by 9.3% to 129 million British pounds (148.6 million euros), on a comparable basis to the second quarter of the prior fiscal year.
Overall, in the first half of the year 2025/26, JD Sports’ total sales reached 5.94 billion British pounds (6.8 billion euros), reflecting a decrease of 2.5% in like-for-like sales and an increase of 2.6% in organic sales, as compared to the same months of the previous year.
Excluding the impact of the acquisitions of Hibbett and Courir, the group’s gross margin in the first half was 40 basis points lower year-on-year, primarily due to controlled price investments in the online offering. Including these acquisitions, the overall gross margin declined by 60 basis points year-on-year.
Meanwhile, inventory levels at the end of the period remained in line with expectations and continue to be effectively managed.
“Across our regions and fascias, in general we see a resilient consumer, albeit very selective on their purchases. We therefore remain cautious on the trading environment going into H2. For our FY26 profit before tax and adjusting items we expect to be in line with current market expectations, before any indirect impact of US tariffs which we continue to work through”, concluded the CEO of JD Sports.
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