Shoe Zone PLC (AIM:SHOE) has posted stronger profits and proposed a higher dividend for the year to September 2023 after particularly strong second-half trading.
Pre-tax profit climbed 19% to £16.2 million for the year, the retailer reported on Tuesday, on the back of a 6% jump in revenue to £165.7 million.
Shoe Zone proposed a final dividend of 8.9p per share, alongside a special 6p per share dividend, taking the total for the year to 17.4p per share - up on 2022’s 17p per share payout.
“Shoe Zone had a very positive year, with strong and consistent results throughout the key trading periods,” chief executive Anthony Smith said.
These came “particularly in the second half”, he added, “with strong peak summer and back-to-school trading”.
Store revenue climbed 3.9% to £134.8 million as a net 37 sites were closed over the year. This left Shoe Zone operating 323 stores as of September.
Digital revenue climbed 17.0% to £30.9 million, which Shoe Zone attributed to strong Amazon sales.
Shares soared 6% to 240p following the update.