Bad weather brings a ray of sunshine for £95m Dunelm

Dunelm, the home furnishing business that began as a market stall and is now aiming for 200 superstores, is one of the few retailers that says bad weather is good.

Unveiling a 15% rise in full-year profits to £95 million, the chain said the severe weather that hit the UK earlier this year helped sales.

It estimates an £8 million “weather benefit” boost to sales as customers spruced up their homes rather than went out on the town.

Total revenues for the year were up 12% at £603.7 million.

Dunelm plans a final dividend of 10p per share, against 8p last year. It said it would also return excess capital worth 32.5p a share, or a total of £65.8 million, to shareholders.

Dunelm has 118 stores at the moment with a target of 200.