H&M's fourth quarter profits were almost wiped out by soaring costs.

But the Swedish company held back from passing on full costs to cash-strapped customers.The world's second biggest fashion chain, which raised some prices, will continue with this pricing strategy even though it will not fully compensate for the higher costs, such as for energy, transport and raw materials. So the group will keep raising prices in some categories to a varying extent in different markets to partially make up for continued high costs.

H&M gradually closed its stores across Russia last year, and decided to exit the market.The retailer’s exit from Russia and the financial impact of a cost-cutting drive announced last year also contributed to the fall in profits. However the company expects sales and profitability to improve in 2023, primarily towards the end of the year.

The group in September 2022 launched a drive to cut costs with savings expected to start showing from the second half of 2023. This included cutting around 1,500 jobs as part of the program.Gross margins were weaker than expected.

H&M’s sales so far in the current quarter are strong - as expected, given the colder weather across Europe. H&M sales increased by six percent during 2022. The external factors that had had a negative effect on purchasing costs are gradually reversing and are expected to become positive for the company’s results in the second half of 2023. Purchasing costs are already lower for the orders being placed now compared with the same time last year. In addition, the second half will also see the positive effect of the cost and efficiency program that is expected to provide significant annual savings.