Next nudges profit forecast higher as sales rise

LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Next, Britain's No.2clothing retailer, nudged its full-year profit forecast higheron Thursday as it posted a rise in fourth quarter sales. Kicking off the post-Christmas UK retail reporting seasonfor listed companies, Next, which has a long standing policy ofnever going on sale before Christmas, said it expected a year toend-Jan. 2013 pretax profit 7 million pounds ($11.4 million)either side of 618 million pounds. Its previous guidance was 590-620 million pounds. Next said total sales rose 3.9 percent in the Nov. 1 to Dec.24 period. That compares with an increase of 2.7 percent in its thirdquarter, giving a year to date rise of 3.9 percent - in linewith guidance of 3.0 to 4.5 percent. Sales at Next's over 500 stores in the UK and Ireland rose0.8 percent in the November, December period while sales at theDirectory home shopping business increased 11.2 percent.