Jackets and swim trunks propel Pentland near £2bn in revenues

HIGHER international sales of Speedo swimwear and Berghaus jackets helped leisure group Pentland boost revenues by 10 per cent last year to £1.9bn, according to annual results.

The group, which owns a variety of iconic UK fashion brands like Boxfresh, Mitre and Ellesse and licenses for footwear by Kickers, Lacoste and Ted Baker, reported a 36 per cent rise in group profits to £85m for the year ending December.

The launch of Berghaus, famed for its ski jackets, in the US and strong sales of Speedo in China helped drive the performance.

Revenue for its clutch of brands accounted for £590m, an 11 per cent rise from the same period last year. The family owned business was originally called The Liverpool Shoe Company when it was founded in the 1930s.

Pentland is also the majority shareholder in JD Sports with 57 per cent. The division which houses JD and other investments saw revenues rise nine per cent to £1.3bn.