Card Factory shares drop on profit warning issue amid weak UK footfall
Card Factory PLC on Friday cut its profit guidance as it said weak high-street retail footfall hurt its UK store sales performance.
Shares in Card Factory were down 22% to 75.05 pence on Friday morning in London.
The Wakefield, England-based greeting cards, gifts and celebration merchandise retailer said it expects adjusted pretax profit of between £55 million and £60 million for financial 2026, which ends on January 31, if current trading trends persist.
The is lower than the company’s previous guidance, which was for mid-to-high single-digit-percentage growth in adjusted pretax profit from £66.0 million in financial 2025, roughly £70 million.
Card Factory attributed weak consumer confidence to the lower high street footfall, which has persisted into its ‘most important’ trading period.
The company said the performance of its other businesses, including those in Ireland and the US are in line with expectations.
It added that the integration of online card business Funky Pigeon, which was bought from WH Smith, remains on track.
Card Factory said it has continued to process on the execution of its productivity and efficiency programme.
‘The board remains confident in the group’s long-term strategy,’ the company said. ‘The share buyback programme will continue and the board anticipates declaring a progressive full-year dividend, in line with its capital allocation policy.’
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