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Next Lifts Profit Outlook Again and Sets £369m Special Dividend After Strong Q3

Surplus cash will be returned via a January special dividend after sales outpaced guidance.

Overview

  • Next raised full-year pre-tax profit guidance by about £30 million to roughly £1.135 billion for the year to January.
  • Third‑quarter full‑price sales rose 10.5%, including 5.4% growth in the UK and a 38.8% surge overseas.
  • The retailer increased its guidance for fourth‑quarter full‑price sales growth to about 7%, up from 4.5%.
  • About £369 million will be returned through a special dividend of around 310p per share payable at the end of January, and further buybacks are paused this year given the share price.
  • Shares jumped roughly 5% after the update, with management citing improved stock availability, higher international marketing spend and disruption at a rival as key drivers.