Burberry returns to pre-tax profit as sales rise in China and the Americas

Burberry, the British luxury fashion house, made a pre-tax profit of £19m in the six months to 26 September, after a loss of £48m a year earlier, according to The Guardian.

Sales for the period totalled £1.1bn, up 6%. The growth was helped by strong online and wholesale sales, particularly in China and the United States, where wholesale means goods sold in bulk to other retailers.

The gains were uneven across regions. Sales rose 15% in China and 14% in the Americas, while sales in Europe and the Middle East fell 1%.

The results were reported under chief executive Joshua Schulman, who leads the company's strategy and day-to-day operations.

Burberry sells across a wide range of prices. Its more affordable products include scarves from £195 and cotton-cashmere socks from £85. At the top end, bags and coats can cost more than £9,000 for a leather version.