Trading Statement

Next PLC
05 January 2005

Date:                   Embargoed until 07.00am, Wednesday 5 January 2005



Contacts:               Simon Wolfson, Chief Executive
                        David Keens, Group Finance Director
                        NEXT PLC
                        Tel:  [phone]

                        Alistair Mackinnon-Musson
                        Philip Dennis
                        Hudson Sandler
                        Tel:      [phone]
                        Email:  [e-mail]



                        Photographs available:  http://www.next.co.uk/press/
                        (or Hudson Sandler, as above)


                                   NEXT PLC



                               TRADING STATEMENT


NEXT Retail sales for the period from 3 August to 24 December 2004 were up 12.1%
compared to the same period last year. For clarity, the comparative period last
year includes the same number of days as this year.  Like-for-like sales in the
285 stores that were unaffected by new openings were up 2.9%.  Total
like-for-like sales, including the 49 stores that were directly affected by new
openings, were up 0.5%.



NEXT Directory sales were up 13.4% in the period.



Taken together, sales for NEXT Retail and NEXT Directory were up 12.4%.



Clearance rates in our end of season Sale have been below our expectations, on
stock levels that were higher than originally planned.  As a result we have
lowered our internal profit forecast by £5m.  We currently expect Next Group
pre-tax profit for the full year to be in the range £415m to £425m, which is
broadly in line with market expectations.



We expect to issue our preliminary announcement of results for the 52 weeks to
29 January 2005 on Wednesday 23 March 2005.







                                    - ENDS -


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange