Thursday preview: Ted Baker to unveil annual profit rise

British fashion brand Ted Baker is set to report a 17 per cent hike in annual sales on Thursday, according to analysts.

The designer label is expected to announce sales of £253m for 2012 as it reaps the rewards of its new online offering and recent expansion in the UK, US and Asia.

Full-year pre-tax profits are forecast to rise by 30% to £31.5m.

It comes after the company revealed its festive trading results which showed sales rise by a fifth. Internet sales jumped by 50% on the previous year.

The company had said part of the sales growth was a result of the chain expanding in the UK as it increased its floor space by almost 14% during the Christmas period.

Oriel Securities analyst Alistair Davies said Ted Baker's investment in online services was "paying off".

"Ted Baker remains ahead of the wider sector. Investments online and overseas are helping the brand build traction and deliver better than expected top-line growth," he said.

Thursday March 21st

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