LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer on Wednesday reported another dip in quarterlyunderlying sales in its non-food business, though it said it isdelivering on its strategic priority to boost profit margins,raising its forecast.
The 131-year-old firm said sales of general merchandise,spanning clothing, footwear and homeware, at stores open over ayear, fell 1.9 percent in the 13 weeks to Sept. 26, its fiscalsecond quarter.
That compares to analysts' forecasts in a range of flat todown 2.0 percent, with a consensus of down 1.2 percent, and afirst quarter fall of 0.4 percent.
However, M&S said the non-food division increased its grossmargin by a greater than expected 2.85 percentage points in thefirst half and the firm raised its full year guidance to up 2 to2.5 percentage points from up 1 to 1.5 percentage pointspreviously.
(Reporting by James Davey; editing by Kate Holton)