JJB Sports has said to talk about the sale of discount retailer TJ Hughes while posting a 26 per cent fall in first-half pre-tax profit to GBP 24 million. JJB said that the board had entered into discussions which may lead to the sale of TJ Hughes, but that talks are in an early stage. JJB acquired TJ Hughes in March 2002 and decided to put the chain up for sale after a review of the group's activities.

JJB posted a 13.6 per cent increase in sales to GBP 460 million with sales for the JJB business rising 1.6 per cent to GBP 368 million, but declining 3 per cent on a like-for-like basis over the first half ended 27 July 2003. The increase in group sales was mainly due to the acquisition of TJ Hughes. TJ Hughes saw it's sales rise with 5.6 per cent to GBP 92 million.