UK motor parts retailer Halfords’ first-half sales get a summer boost

Oct 21 (Reuters) Bicycles-to-car parts retailer Halfords posted a rise in like-for-like first-half ​sales on Wednesday and ‌retained its annual profit forecast, as extended summers helped push sales of cycling, outdoor and camping equipment ‌higher. Here ​are some ⁠details: • Group like-for-like ⁠sales grew 7.1% for the 26-week period to October 2 • The firm reaffirmed its annual ​adjusted pre-tax profit of between £55 million and £65 million ($73.52 ⁠million and $86.89 million) • ⁠Halfords has benefited from ​consumers snapping up camping gear, ​iceboxes and bicycles amid an ‌unusually warm summer this year even as they grapple with rising costs arising from ⁠the Iran war • The firm has also been helped by its turnaround ⁠plans, ‌launched by new ⁠CEO Henry Birch in ​2025, ‌focussed on pricing, growing ​its motor ⁠services arm and expanding into the growing higher-margin e-bikes market ($1 = 0.7481 pounds) (Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Mrigank Dhaniwala)