H&M profit rises 26% despite sales drop

Clothing giant H&M increased its profitability by 26 percent in the first quarter of 2026, despite a decrease in sales due to the strong Swedish krona. The company's CEO Daniel Ervér highlighted customers' positive response to the collections as a contributing factor to the success. Ervér also commented on challenges in the Middle East, where three percent of the stores are located, but noted that H&M has so far been less affected than the industry overall.