Pets at Home Group PLC (LSE:PETS) reports on Wednesday, 29 May, after scaling back profit guidance in March on squeezed consumer spending.
Pre-tax profit guidance of £132 million was laid out in late March, against £136 million previously, as growth in its retail business was slower than expected in the third quarter.
“[This] didn’t come as much of a surprise to investors, as inflationary pressures caused consumers to rein in their spending on more lucrative pet accessories,” Hargreaves Lansdown analysts commented.
Forward-looking guidance will be the all-important feature of the upcoming full-year results, therefore, analysts added.
Shareholder rewards are also likely to be in focus, after £100 million was returned in 2024 through buybacks and dividends, alongside costs, as Pets at Home launched a new digital platform.
“Utilising customer data insights and growing its online presence offer significant opportunities for growth, but these efforts don’t come cheap,” Hargreaves said.
“Analysts are mindful that the group’s costs are growing and will be paying close attention to how investments will be sustainably funded.”