Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi is seeing improving sales activity in the New Zealand market and plans to open more stores after posting a bumper first half profit, it was announced today.

The Australian company reported record half year profits for the six months ending December 31 of $A76 million up 29% on the previous year’s results of $A59 million.

Sales were up 23% from $A1.26 billion to $1.5 billion. JB Hi-Fi chief executive Richard Uechtritz said sales in December were solid across “almost all categories”.