Interim Management Statement

Next PLC
07 November 2007

Date:               Embargoed until 07.00am, Wednesday 7 November 2007

Contacts:           Simon Wolfson, Chief Executive
                    David Keens, Group Finance Director
                    NEXT PLC
                    Tel:      [phone]

                    Alistair Mackinnon-Musson
                    Nicola Savage
                    Hudson Sandler
                    Tel:      [phone]
                    Email:  [e-mail]
                    Photographs available:  http://www.next.co.uk/press/





                                    NEXT PLC

                          Interim Management Statement

                           Wednesday 7 November 2007

Current Trading

The combined sales of Next Retail and Next Directory for the fourteen week
period from 29 July to 3 November 2007 were up 0.4% compared to the same period
last year.

Next Retail sales in the period were level with last year.  Mainline like for
like sales in the 301 stores that were unaffected by new openings were down
-2.9%.

Next Directory sales were up 1.2% in the period.

Markdowns in the last fourteen weeks (the majority of which were taken in our
two day mid-season Sale) have been marginally less than in the same period last
year.

The table below sets out the above sales performance compared to the trading
statement made in September at the time of our interim results:

Sales                                    Six weeks to         Fourteen weeks to
                                          8 September                3 November
Total Next Brand Sales                          -2.9%                     +0.4%
Total Next Retail Sales                         -2.9%                      0.0%
Next Retail Mainline LFL                        -4.8%                     -2.9%
Next Directory Sales                            -2.9%                     +1.2%



Outlook for the Autumn Winter Season

The last eight weeks sales have shown a significant improvement on the first six
weeks.  However, trading patterns remain extremely volatile with good sales in
September giving way to a disappointing October.  Whilst we are happy that we
have made significant improvements to our product ranges, marketing and stores
we remain cautious about the consumer environment, with many customers now
experiencing considerable year on year increases in their mortgage repayments.

So whilst the outlook is uncertain, our forecast for Next Retail sales remains
in line with the guidance we gave at the half year and we expect like for like
sales to fall within a range of -1.0% to -3.5%.  We now expect Directory sales
to be between 0% and +2% up on last year.

Based on these sales ranges our current full year profit forecast for the group
remains in line with market expectations.

Share Buybacks

Since 11 September we have purchased a further 0.7% of our shares in issue at
the start of this financial year, at a cost of £34m.  For the year to date we
have purchased 8.5% being 19.3m shares at a total cost of £402m.  We remain
committed to purchase a further 0.9m shares under contingent purchase contracts.

Sales and Trading Updates in 2008

As a consequence of the new Interim Management Statement regulations, NEXT will
move to quarterly sales reporting, with a post Christmas statement in place of a
Q4 statement.  The table below sets out our intended sales statements for 2008:

Period          Announcement          Content
Christmas       Early January         Sales for the period 29 July to 24 December 2007.
Quarter 1       End April             Sales and trading for the first quarter to 26 April.
Quarter 2       End July              Sales for the second quarter and first half to 26 July.
Quarter 3       End October           Sales and trading for the third quarter to 25 October.



The Full Year Announcement in March and Interim Results in September will
therefore no longer contain a sales update for the short period between the
financial period end and the date of the announcement.

                                    - END -








                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange