JD Sports a winner as it banks on its brands

The group's fashion brands grew like-for-like sales by 9.7 per cent in the five weeks to January 2, with sportswear sales also up a healthy 5.9 per cent.

JD now expects to "significantly exceed" market hopes for profits – currently standing at around 56m – although the final results will still depend on the impact of the UK's freezing weather.

The firm – one of the strongest retail performers throughout the recession – said the performance was "particularly pleasing", especially when set against strong Christmas trading a year ear- lier.

The Christmas performance pushed the firm's like-for-like sales for the 48 weeks to January 2 up 2.7 per cent, with the fashion brands 4.5 per cent ahead.

Seymour Pierce analyst Kate Heseltine said the strong trading reflected "the robustness of the youth fashion market and a savvy management team steering the business through tougher times".

Executive chairman Peter Cowgill said: "This has been the result of our strong product proposition and a lot of hard work from employees throughout the business."

JD – which had 343 sportswear stores and 95 fashion outlets as of last August – has weathered the downturn in better shape than its rivals due to its fashion focus rather than depending on replica football kit sales.