H&M’s operating profit grows more than expected in third quarter

STOCKHOLM, Sept 24 (Reuters) Swedish fashion retailer H M on Thursday ​reported a ‌bigger rise than expected in June-August operating profit, and said it ‌expected ​sales in ⁠September to be ⁠up 1% in local currencies. Operating profit in H M s fiscal third ​quarter increased to 6.04 billion crowns ($608.63 ⁠million) against ⁠a year-earlier 4.91 ​billion crowns and ​a mean forecast in an ‌LSEG poll of analysts of 5.14 billion. Sales increased ⁠1% in the period measured in local currencies. Analysts had ⁠expected ‌sales to ⁠grow at a ​sluggish ‌pace in the ​third quarter. ($1 = ⁠9.9239 Swedish crowns) (Reporting by Greta Rosen Fondahn and Helen Reid, editing by Terje ​Solsvik)