TJ Hughes looks ahead to stable trading figures

Trading at TJ Hughes is expected to stabilise over the next 12 months following investment by owner JJB Sports.

Last month, the discount department store group, bought by JJB in April, reported a like-for-like sales drop of 0.9 per cent in the 23 weeks to January 5.

HSBC retail analyst Mal Patel said like-for-likes at TJ's would be in the low single digits in the financial year to 2004, with profits hitting£6 million.

He said stabilisation would result from systems advances.