By Kathy Sandler and Jeffrey Sparshott Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES LONDON -(Dow Jones)- U.K. clothing and houseware retailer Next PLC (NXT.LN) Wednesday raised its guidance for second-half sales up to Christmas Eve after reporting a better-than-expected 1.3% decline for the third quarter. The company in September said it expected sales at stores open more than a year to fall between 3.5% and 6.5% in the second half, but now it expects sales to be flat or decline up to 3%, potentially boosting profit before tax estimates. "If it is assumed that the revised sales guidance given above is achieved, then we would anticipate market consensus increasing by around GBP30 million to circa GBP472 million," the company said in a statement. Directory sales--its catalogue-shopping and online business--were up 5.1% in the third quarter. Combined total brand sales for Next retail and its directory business were up 3.1% in the period. Next, which competes against Marks & Spencer Group PLC (MKS.LN), Debenhams PLC (DEB.LN) and John Lewis Partnership, said: "The consumer environment remains subdued, but has been more benign than we anticipated." Next shares closed Tuesday at 1810 pence, up 67% year-to-date amid hopes of improving trading conditions. -By Kathy Sandler, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-207-842-9293; kathy.sandler@dowjones.com
