Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

The Herts-based group said that pre-tax profit had fallen to £295.1m, from £311m a year ago, due to an eight per cent drop in sales at its UniEuro business in Italy.

Total group sales rose 14 per cent, up to £7.9bn, from £6.9bn for the previous year, with international sales growing to occupy 41 per cent of the figure.

Internet sales increased to 10 per cent of the group's totals, up from three per cent last time, and sales figures have tripled at Dixons since moving the business on line, DSG said.

Shares in the group have seen a marginal drop, losing 2.1p to 168.4p.