Retail graduates on the hunt for work may want to look at Marks & Spencer after the High Street giant reported a return to a rise in annual profits.
After a 40% fall in annual profits the previous year, an impressive growth of sales in the fourth quarter for the group provided the increase in underlying pre-tax profits to ??632.5 million, a 4% jump, boosting hopes in the graduate retail jobs sector.
Chairman Sir Stuart Rose, presenting his last set of annual results before standing down next March, claimed the "worst effects of the recession" had passed but warned the group was still wary of customer uncertainty ahead of the emergency budget on June 22.
Total sales in the UK last year increased by 0.9%, thanks in part to a better-than-expected same store sales rise of 5.1% during the final quarter.
The group also claimed to have gained market share in the clothing sector. Like-for-like food sales rose for the first time in almost three years, up 0.3%, while sales of general merchandise also reported an upwards trend (1.6%).
