LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - Next, Britain's secondbiggest clothing retailer, posted a small rise in quarterlysales, with trade picking up after a slow start to its newfinancial year as the weather improved.
Next, which trades from over 500 stores in Britain andIreland and almost 200 stores overseas, as well as the Directoryinternet and catalogue business, said on Wednesday total salesrose 2.2 percent in the 14 weeks to May 4, its fiscal firstquarter.
That outcome is consistent with previous sales guidance forthe full 2013-14 year of a rise of 1-4 percent.
Retail sales fell 1.9 percent, while Directory sales were up8.9 percent.
Next maintained guidance for 2013-14 year pretax profit of615-665 million pounds ($951 million-$1.03 billion) but said itremained cautious about the consumer environment.