JD Sports Fashion (LSE:JD.) said it expects FY27 profit before tax and adjusting items (PBTAI) of £750m–£850m and free cash flow of £460m–£520m, providing a wider guidance range because of uncertainty while confirming the period of the results as the 52 weeks to 31 January.
The group reported FY26 PBTAI of £852m (FY25: £923m), statutory profit before tax of £629m (down 12.0%), organic sales up 2.1% at constant FX, like‑for‑like sales down 2.1%, total sales up 11.7% at constant FX, gross margin flat at 47.0% and free cash flow of £462m (up £123m), the company said.
JD said operating cash flow was £1,309m (+3.3%) and year‑end net cash before lease liabilities stood at £311m (FY25: £52m), after £253m of dividend payments and buybacks, and it is proposing a 20% uplift in the ordinary dividend to 1.20p alongside a new £200m rolling annual share buyback.
Regionally, North America is now the largest market at about 38% of sales and saw sequential improvement to return to LFL growth in Q4, while online sales were strong in North America (+12.2%) and Europe (+3.8%), apparel grew c.5% and footwear was broadly flat.
Operationally the group said it advanced key programmes in FY26, automation at the Heerlen distribution centre and roll‑out of a global e‑commerce platform, and plans full UK and Europe re‑platforming and further AI and personalisation work in FY27.
Chief Executive Régis Schultz said: "We remain confident in JD Group's medium‑term trajectory, underpinned by our strong brand partnerships and agile, multi‑brand model."
The company reiterated FY27 capex guidance of c.£400m, reported Q1 trading to 25 April as organic sales flat and LFL -2.3%, and set a three‑year free cash flow target of greater than £1.4bn for FY26-FY28 ahead of a Q2 trading statement on 20 August.
