Shares in the company jumped 9.4 per cent before eventually closing up just over five per cent. M&S posted a 58 per cent jump in profit before tax for the full year as chief
Analysts had previously forecast a 35 per cent rise in underlying pre-tax profits to £653m for the year to April, with revenue growth of 8.9 per cent.
However, the retail behemoth said revenue was up 9.3 per cent on last year's figures to £13bn, helped by demand for clothing and food lines.
Food sales did particularly well, up 13 per cent; while clothing sales were also up 5.3 per cent.
Pro.t before tax and adjusting items came in at £716.4m and adjusted basic earnings per share jumped 45.6 per cent to 24.6p.
Off the back of the figures,
M&S also provided insight into how Ocado, the online grocery business it has a 50 per cent stake in, was performing.
Revenue increased 11.2 per cent to £2.47bn, while EBITDA came in at £26.8m against a loss of £15.1m last year.
M&S said although the financial performance of
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