Hugo Boss strides out, reporting strong quarterly profit

FRANKFURT, Nov 2, 2010 AFP © - German fashion group Hugo Boss reported a strong third-quarter profit on Tuesday and confirmed unexpectedly good performance given in preliminary figures last month.

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs, Hugo Boss CEO.

The group has increased the number of its own brand stores, especially in Asia.

The company said that net profit climbed by 79 percent to 92.2 million euros (129 million dollars) in the three month period compared with the third quarter of 2009.

Operating profit was 73 percent higher at 128.6 million euros, a statement added, and showed that 2010 "will be a year of growth again" for the group.

The final figures "confirm the company's good health," LBBW analyst Bernd Muell said.

After suffering early this year from lagging effects of the global slowdown, Boss has bounced back and confirmed a sales gain of 19 percent to 538 million euros in third quarter sales.

But "our growth in the third quarter is broad-based, with all regions, distribution channels and brands contributing to it," chairman and chief executive Claus-Dietrich Lahrs was quoted as saying.

For all of 2010, Boss raised its targets last month already, and expects sales to gain five percent excluding foreign exchange effects, and core earnings before exceptional items to increase by around 20 percent.