Menswear specialist Moss Bros posted a fall in first-half profit today as it revamps stores and adjusts for changing tastes in suit hire.

The retailer which has 133 stores, reported a 9% drop in pre-tax profit to £2 million in the 26 weeks to July 26, after it upped its refurbishment programme to nine stores from four in the same period a year ago.

But the firm, famous for hiring out morning suits, said total revenues were up 4.6% to £55.8 million, with like-for-like sales rising 6.4%, as it boosted online sales and sold more products from stores that had already been refitted.

Moss Bros said the hire trend in recent years has been away from pleated trousers and top hats in favour of a more modern contemporary feel.

Hire bookings for the 2014 wedding season are behind last year's levels, but Moss added that hire prices continue to improve due to the introduction of more modern premium lines such as the Ted Baker morning suit.

It said: "The impact of reduced hire bookings will reduce in the second half as we move out of the wedding season into the evening wear season."

Hire bookings account for 15% of Moss Bros revenues, with the remainder coming from conventional retail sales.

Moss Bros has staged a recovery in recent years, with chief executive Brian Brick revamping ranges and stores since taking over in 2009, after the group made a series of losses.

Shares rose 2%.

It added that like-for-like trading rose 6% in the first seven weeks of the second half of the year to September 13.

It has refitted 49 of its 133 stores, which on average generate sales 8% to 10% higher than older outlets. During the period it opened one new store and closed a loss-making outlet.

The group's online unit, which was relaunched in 2013, doubled sales during the period and now account for 6.8% of group revenue.

In this autumn the firm launched its Moss London, Moss 1851 and Moss Esquire labels, which will trade alongside its Savoy Taylors Guild brand. Its older Ventuno, Blazer and DeHavilland brands have been discontinued.

The business said marketing and online costs rose during the period to support its expansion.

Mr Brick said: "We continue to invest in the future and make good progress in delivering our strategy."

"The successful launch of our new sub brand line up at the start of the Autumn 2014 season, in conjunction with our ongoing store refit programme, means our customer offer is now more closely defined and aligned with our target customer groups."

Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Freddie George said Moss Bros's "interim results were marginally better than expected."