Trading was particularly tough in August and Blacks now expects losses in the first half to be aboutĀ£4.5 million before exceptional items, compared with aĀ£600,000 loss for the previous year.
Chief executive Neil Gillis said he was considering āall optionsā for the boardwear arm, which includes the brands OāNeill, Freespirit and Mambo. The divisionās like-for-like sales plummeted 16.1 per cent in the six months to September 1. Blacksā outdoor division recorded a like-for-like decline of 5.2 per cent.
Kaupthing analyst Matthew McEachran said that in order to meet full-year forecasts of betweenĀ£2 million andĀ£4 million, Blacks would have to deliver substantial year-on-year growth in its second half.
He added that ālooks a tall order in the current climate, even with the new initiatives in placeā.
In September, Blacksā trading picked up and was in line with expectations.
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