• First-half revenue edged up to £37.1mn
• Pre-tax loss widened from £2mn to £2.8mn
• Net debt increased from £13.4mn to £14.8mn
• Share price down 8 per cent to 16-year low
First-half results from Stoke-on-Trent-based Portmeirion (PMP: 125p), a leading UK ceramics manufacturer and retailer, bear the scars of challenges in its North America business, a territory accounting for a third of group revenue.
Sales in the region fell by 13 per cent to £12.7mn following the announcement of US import tariffs, which created considerable uncertainty across its customer base. Given supply lead times and the fact that substantial production and shipping were already in progress, management had to act quickly to mitigate the potential risks of penal customs tariffs.