Wakefield-based greeting card and gift retailer Card Factory said its first-half group revenue rose 5.9% to £247.6 million in the six months to July 31, reflecting “positive performance in core stores business and continued execution of our strategy.”

First-half statutory profit before tax fell 46.4% to £7.5 million, which included “£5.7 million non-underlying costs related to acquisitions and FX derivatives.”

Interim dividend increased 4.9% to to 1.3p per share.

Card Factory said its adjusted profit before tax fell 9% to £13.2 million.

Card Factory CEO Darcy Willson-Rymer said: “Our resilient first half performance against a challenging retail backdrop demonstrates the effective execution of our growth strategy and our ability to navigate inflationary pressures.

“Our core stores business performed positively during the period, supported by new store openings, while our ongoing range development resonated strongly with customers, driving successful Spring seasons.

“At the same time, we continued to advance our growth priorities, expanding partnerships and accelerating our digital strategy through the acquisition of Funky Pigeon.

“With the peak festive season ahead, we are well prepared for our most important trading period. Building on the success of our H1 seasonal performance, we have strong plans in place for H2 to deliver on our quality and value proposition including new Christmas ranges and a significantly expanded Halloween range.

“These plans, combined with our ongoing productivity and efficiency programme, mean our expectations for the full year remain unchanged.”