The Entertainer, riding a sharp increase in its ecommerce business and expansion of its private label Addo brand, reported a 31% profit increase to $19.8 million in the year ended Jan. 28 as revenue rose 21.7% to $310.1 million.

The 163-store UK chain’s ecommerce revenue through The ToyShop.com rose 39%. Same-store sales increased 12.3%.

Ecommerce accounts for about 20% of the company’s annual revenue.

The Entertainer is targeting having 200 stores by year-end —  a combination of company-owned and franchised locations.

It has 15 franchised stores across nine Central European, middle Eastern and Asian countries.

The chain also earlier this month purchased UK retailer Mothercare’s Early Learning Centre business for $17.6 million, which includes toy brands such as Happyland. Early Learning Centre has 400 franchised stores in international markets and 80 inside Mothercare’s UK locations. It also  purchased the 57-store Spanish toy retailer Poly late last year.

In addition to opening new stores, The Entertainer will “further strengthen” its private label Pitter Patter Pets and Addo business, says Buying Director Stuart Grant. The latter including licenses for Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. brands. Sales of private label products are about 33% of The Entertainer’s annual revenue.

Contact:

The Entertainer, Stuart Grant, Buying Dir., stuart.grant@theentertainer.com