MADRID, Sept 21 (Reuters) - The world's biggest clothingretailer Inditex on Wednesday reported first half netprofit up 8 percent from a year ago driven higher by strongsales as it focuses on flag-ship stores and its onlineplatforms.
Inditex's solid earnings set it apart from European peerssuch as H&M and Next, which blamed a warmwinter and a cold spring for below-forecast figures last weekand consistently have lagged behind their Spanish rival.
Inditex's net profit was 1.26 billion euros ($1.40 billion),just above a Reuters polled forecast of 1.25 billion euros, onearnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation(EBITDA) of 2.11 billion euros.
A Reuters poll forecast EBITDA of 2.1 billion euros for thesix months from February to July.($1 = 0.8985 euros) (Reporting by Angus Berwick; Editing by Paul Day)