THE owner of outdoors and sports brand Trespass has recorded a near six per cent rise in annual profit and signalled it is on course to grow further in the coming years.
Family owned Jacobs and Turner said it had benefited from an improvement in retail margins as well as foreign currency fluctuations.
Annual accounts just filed at Companies House for the Glasgow business, which has also controlled the Nevisport chain since rescuing it from administration in 2007, show turnover rose 14.5 per cent from £75.3 million to £86.2m in the 12 months to June 29, 2014.
Distribution costs rose from £5.6m to £6.75m with administrative expenses surging from £16.2m to £21.2m. However pre-tax profits still increased from £4m to £4.23m.
The company is owned and run by brothers Afzal and Akmal Khushi. Their father Chaudry Mohammed Khushi bought the business, which was founded in 1938, during the 1960s and expanded it from making police clothing and workwear into the manufacture of anoraks and outdoor clothing. Akmal's son Usman, 27, is also a director of the company.
Writing in the accounts the directors said: "The directors are pleased with the growth in sales across all divisions during the year and the improved gross margins earned.
"The rise in gross profitability [ from £25.7m to £31.8m] was in no small measure due to improved purchasing power arising from the weakening dollar during the year and to retail margins which were slightly better than the previous year, a satisfactory performance in such a competitive marketplace.
"The directors remain positive about the future prospects of the group and believe that the on-going capital investment programme in the UK and abroad will bring the desired level of profitable growth in the coming years."
The directors highlighted primary risks as being adverse currency fluctuations in the euro and dollar, inflation of goods prices, reliability of suppliers and trade debts.
Along with retail stores around the UK, including five in Glasgow, Trespass has sites around Europe including in France, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Netherlands and Belgium.
While it has made its name in outdoors, hiking and snowsports equipment and clothing Trespass has expanding into areas including cycling, fishing, golf, swimming, surfing and running in recent years.
Trespass, formed by the Khushi family in 1984, provided around 15,000 uniforms for the Clydesider volunteers and Queen's baton relay bearers for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year.
It is not clear from the accounts whether the contract for the Games had a direct financial impact on the company during the reporting period.
Along with retail Jacobs and Turner also designs and wholesales apparel and equipment such as rucksacks, tents and sleeping bags. It has been exporting clothes around the world since 1980.
The latest Jacobs and Turner balance sheet showed stock worth £34.6m at the end of the financial year, up from £29m.
Net debt rose from £2.65m to £4.7m with capital and financial spending increasing from £3.95m to £4.7m.
Average staff numbers increased from 1,135 to 1,378 mainly as result of a sharp rise in the number of retail employees.
That pushed aggregate payroll costs up from £13.8m to more than £16m.
Director's emoluments fell from £494,946 to £479,063 with the highest paid receiving £220,693, down from £237,931. There was no dividend paid in the year.
The Khushi family were said to be overseas and unavailable for comment.
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