According to the latest Business Ratio Report on the footwear industry, Nike (UK) head the Top Ten list of most profitable companies operating in the UK by pre-tax profit margin for the last complete financial year available, 2001/02.

The list consists of only one manufacturer and nine distributors. However, Fii Footwear Management, Skorimpex Rind and Courtesy Shoes were all excluded from the table due to exceptional profit items in the year of analysis.

The companies and their pre-tax profit margin in percentage terms are as follows: Nike (UK) 28%; Webcover 23.1%; Russell & Bromley 17.1%; Pentland Brands UK 14.9%; Foot Shop 14.8%; Twinmar 12.8%; The Shoe Studio Group 12.3%; The Raw Shoe Co 10.4%; Wilton Bradley 9.8%; Adidas (UK) 9.2%.

Overall industry average was 3.8%.

The Top Ten leading companies by sales turnover were: C & J Clark International, £648.1 million, 7.1%; Adidas (UK), £275.4 million, 9.2%; Stylo Barratt Shoes, £195.1 million, -0.1%; R Griggs & Co, £130.5 million, -12.2%; Airwair, £127.9 million, 1.2%; Stead & Simpson, £117.9, 0.6%; The Shoe Studio Group, £108.6 million, 12.3%; Shoe Zone, £1.2.8 million, -0.4%; The Hartstone Group plc, £99.6 million, 0.8%; Umbro Holdings, £98.5 million, -7.2%.

The report is published annually by The Prospect Shop and provides 26 different types of ratios and averages. Companies may be excluded if they file modified accounts which make them difficult to compare for ratio calculation or if turnover falls below £2.5 million. Copies cost £275 plus postage and packing.

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