Big boost for Covid winners

ASOS AND JUST EAT SEE PROFITS LEAP

LOCKDOWN-HIT Brits stocked up on jogging bottoms and takeaways if soaraway sales from two big firms yesterday are anything to go by.

Online fashion g iant ASOS expects at least a £ 40mil lion boost to halfyear profits as stuck- at- home shoppers resorted to comfy clothes.

Meanwhile, the owner of online food delivery giant Just Eat said UK orders jumped 58% in the final three months of last year, as the pandemic sent demand surging.

ASOS sales leapt 24% to more than £1.3billion in the final four months of last year, with UK takings up 36%.

Boss Nick Beighton said, as well as jogging bottoms, customers rushed to order mum and 90s- style jeans, but

RIDING HIGH Just Eat and ASOS thriving the lockdown has hammered demand for going-out clothes, a big area for ASOS.

Beighton said: “Sequins have not been a trend during Christmas, it’s been more jersey dresses.”

Just Eat said it processed a massive 56 million orders in the last four months, taking the total for 2020 to 179m.

Owner Just Eat Takeaway.com said it had put “tremendous effort” into improving its UK business and has signed up McDonald’s and Greggs.

Overall, the Dutchbased firm said global orders rose 57% and total fourth-quarter revenues rose more than 60% to between £643m and £661m.

JD Sports is in talks with US firm Authentic Brands Group about joining forces to buy Topshop, the jewel in the crown of Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia empire, according to Sky News.