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Swedish fashion retailer H&M sees sales grow 20 pct in third quarter as it grabs market share

Associated Press
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Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of Swedish fashion retailer Hennes and Mauritz (H&M), presents the company's interim report for the third quarter during a news conference in Stockholm, Thursday Sept. 24, 2015. H&M sales recovered in September after a weak August. (AP Photo/Jonas Ekstromer) SWEDEN OUT (The Associated Press)

Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of Swedish fashion retailer Hennes and Mauritz (H&M), presents the company's interim report for the third quarter during a news conference in Stockholm, Thursday Sept. 24, 2015. H&M sales recovered in September after a weak August. (AP Photo/Jonas Ekstromer) SWEDEN OUT (The Associated Press)

Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB says third-quarter sales grew nearly 20 percent as the company grabbed more market share, with plans for further expansion.

Net profit remained flat at 5.30 billion kronor largely because of increased costs caused by a strong dollar, while revenue surged to 46 billion kronor from 38.8 billion a year earlier.

The company says it plans to open some 400 new stores by year-end and that the H&M Beauty section launched successfully in July, expanding to some 700 stores in 28 markets.

H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson said Thursday that sales in the quarter were hit by unusually warm weather in August in many large European markets but had picked up again and "we are looking forward to an exciting fashion autumn."