ASOS Regulatory News (ASC)

19 Jan 2009 07:00



ASOS PLC 

FOR RELEASE 

7.00am 

19 January 2009 

ASOS plc

('ASOS')

('a leading internet based fashion retailer')

CHRISTMAS TRADING STATEMENT

Sales +118% year on year for the 9 weeks to 16 January 2009 

Sales +108% year on year for the 42 weeks to 16 January 2009 

1.2 million active customers as at 16 January 2009 

Profit before tax for the year to 31 March 2009 expected to be in line with the Board's expectations 

Commenting on Christmas trading, Nick Robertson, Chief Executive said: 

"We have had another great Christmas. Sales, visitors, conversion and average basket value were all at record levels with the website attracting 5.2 million unique visitors in December alone. We now have 1.2 million active customers, a 112% increase over the last 12 months.

We helped maximise sales over the Christmas period by running a number of free delivery weekends and product promotions. Whilst this has impacted margin, we expect profit before tax for the year to 31 March 2009 to be in line with the Board's expectations.

We remain cautiously optimistic about the outlook for ASOS with both young fashion and the internet proving more resilient in the current economic climate. We will continue with our programme of investment, putting in the infrastructure to support continued growth."

For further information contact: 

ASOS plc     Tel: 020 7756 1000

Nick Robertson, Chief Executive 

Jon Kamaluddin, Finance Director 

Cubitt Consulting Tel: 020 7367 5100

Brian Coleman Smith / James Verstringhe / Nicola Krafft

JPMorgan Cazenove Tel: 020 7588 2828

Luke Bordewich / Gina Gibson  

Singer Capital Markets Tel: 020 3205 7500

Nicholas How / Brad Cheng

Background note

ASOS is rapidly becoming the market leader in the UK online fashion world. The business continues to generate profitable growth despite continued investment in operational resources and enjoys strong and increasing barriers to entry.

Established in June 2000 and admitted to AIM in October 2001, ASOS.com is the UK's largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer and offers over 17,500 branded and own label product lines across womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewellery and beauty with approximately 1,150 new product lines being introduced each week.

Aimed primarily at fashion forward 16-34 year olds, ASOS.com attracts over 5.2 million unique visitors a month and as at 16 January 2009 had 2.2 million registered users and 1.2 million active customers (defined as having shopped in the last 6 months).

www.asos.com