Overview
- H&M reported operating profit of 6.04 billion Swedish crowns for the June–August quarter, beating analyst expectations and lifting gross margin to 54.0 percent.
- The company said tighter purchasing, cost control and more in‑season buying have improved profitability and sped product turnaround to roughly six weeks.
- H&M’s net sales were essentially flat at about 57.19 billion crowns with local‑currency sales up roughly 1 percent, and the group guided September sales to grow about 1 percent.
- Management warned part of the profit strength came from a non-recurring US tariff refund, so investors must treat margin gains as partly one‑off rather than wholly recurring.
- The Persson family has bought tens of millions of shares this year through Ramsbury Invest, prompting takeover speculation and leaving investors focused on whether operational gains can drive sustained top‑line recovery.