Trading Statement

Mothercare PLC
04 April 2007

4 April 2007

                                 MOTHERCARE PLC  
                            PRE CLOSE TRADING UPDATE

Mothercare plc today issued the following update on trading. The statement is
being made in respect of Mothercare's year (52 weeks) ended 31 March 2007. All
figures in the statement are comparable with the same weeks in the prior period.

Group performance

The multi-channel business in the UK and overseas has benefited from the
improvements we have made in product, sourcing and distribution during the year.
Group sales for the 11 weeks to 31 March 2007 (fourth quarter) were up 4.4% and
for the 52 weeks to 31 March 2007, were up 5.1%.

UK performance

                                   11 Weeks to     24 Weeks to     52 Weeks to
                                 31 March 2007   31 March 2007   31 March 2007
Total UK sales*                         -0.3%           +0.1%           +1.0%
Total UK like-for-like sales*           +0.4%           +0.6%           +1.6%
UK store sales %                        -1.0%           -0.8%           +0.2%
UK store like-for-like sales            -0.3%           -0.3%           +0.8%

* total UK sales and total UK like-for-like sales include Direct in Home.

The UK business has performed well with total like for like sales up 1.6% in the
year. Direct in Home sales were up 11.0% in the fourth quarter against strong
comparatives and up 15.0% for the year as a whole.

International performance

                                11 Weeks to       24 Weeks to       52 Weeks to
                              31 March 2007     31 March 2007     31 March 2007
Total International sales %         +28.0%            +33.0%            +30.0%

International is growing rapidly and the brand continues to develop strongly in
38 countries. With a net 62 stores added during the year, we now have 328
overseas franchise stores.

Ben Gordon, Chief Executive said:

'Mothercare has delivered a solid fourth quarter and full year sales
performance, with sales growth of 5.1% for the year despite a tough trading
environment in the second half. UK store like-for-like sales were up 0.8% for
the year, and up 1.6% including our Direct business which itself grew by 15.0%
in the year.

Our International franchise business continues to grow rapidly with sales up
30.0% for the full year driven by strong like-for-like sales and 62 new store
openings.'


Enquiries to:

Mothercare plc
Ben Gordon, Chief Executive                               01923 206001
Neil Harrington, Finance Director                         01923 206187


Brunswick Group
Catherine Hicks/Anna Jones                                020 7404 5959


Note 1

Under IAS 39 (Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement) we are
required to mark commercial currency hedges to market. We reported an estimated
IAS 39 currency loss of £0.9m in the first half and £2.5m in the third quarter.
As a result of the strengthening of Sterling against the US dollar over the
year, which benefits our buying operations, we estimate that the IAS 39 currency
adjustment is now approximately £2.0 million. This is a highly volatile non-cash
adjustment which varies daily and does not reflect the underlying profitability
or cash flows of the business and at the year end we will again present an
Underlying Profit Before Taxation measure which excludes the IAS 39 adjustment
and other exceptional items.




                      This information is provided by RNS
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