Inditex lifts sales, keeps 2026 outlook

Inditex (ITXe) reported a solid start to the autumn trading season, with currency-adjusted sales up 9% in August. Sales from August 1 to September 7 were also 9% higher than a year earlier, indicating sustained momentum beyond the core summer period.

The company highlighted that this performance came at the beginning of the autumn trading window, providing an early indication of demand for its latest collections. The figures point to continued customer traffic in both stores and online channels.

For the first half of the year, Inditex reported gross profit of €11.6 billion, an 8.3% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. The group achieved a gross margin of 58.7%, underscoring the profitability of its operations during the period.

In the second quarter, covering the months of May to July, Inditex generated roughly €11 billion in sales. This level of revenue, combined with the strong gross margin, frames the company’s recent performance heading into the key autumn and winter seasons.

Inditex said its autumn/winter collections had been "very well received" by customers. The positive reception has been cited as a factor behind the stronger-than-expected early autumn performance, adding support to the recent sales trends.

The company’s broad assortment and rapid product rotation remain central to its offer, and the strong initial demand for new season merchandise provides a backdrop for the rest of the trading year.

Inditex is expanding its low-price brand Lefties into the United Kingdom and plans a launch in Germany next year. The roll-out of Lefties adds another growth vector alongside the group’s existing retail formats.

The company reaffirmed its 2026 outlook, expecting a broadly stable gross margin within a +/-50 basis-point range. It signalled ordinary investment of around €2.3 billion and about €200 million of extraordinary investment to modernize and expand the business.

Inditex’s positive trading update has been accompanied by strong share-price performance. The company’s shares hit a record €59.10 last month, reflecting investor confidence in its growth and margin prospects.

The combination of resilient sales growth, firm profitability, disciplined investment plans and international expansion of its budget brand underpins the company’s positioning as it moves through the second half of the year.