Argos results due out Wednesday
Argos and Homebase owner GUS issues its fourth quarter trading statement on Wednesday but the update could give a fairly confusing picture because of the later timing of Easter this year.
The season is the busiest time of the year for Homebase, which was acquired by GUS at the end of 2002, so the group has decided not make publish March figures for the DIY store to avoid misleading comparisons.
Fund manager Gerrard’s expects Argos to outperform the rest of the retail sector but it will not be immune from the consumer gloom and like-for-like sales growth is unlikely to match previous quarters.
Argos saw comparable sales growth of 7% over the Christmas period.
