French PPR Group Turns in Profit, But Q4 Sales Slow

French luxury goods to high street retail group PPR—which comprises the Gucci Group and the Puma brand—has reported sales for the full year 2008 up by 5.8 percent to €20.2 billion ($25.5 billion).

EBITDA was up 7 percent to €2.1 billion ($2.7 billion). Sales in the final quarter of the year were static compared to the same period in 2007, and like-for-likes for the period were down by 1.5 percent.

For the year, Gucci Group—whose brands include Yves St Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney—sales were up by 8.1 percent, and Puma sales were up by 8.5 percent. However, home shopping division Redcats saw sales drop by 5.5 percent.