Jimmy Choo first-half underlying sales rise 3.3 pct

 Luxury shoe maker Jimmy Choo said like-for-like sales rose 3.3 percent in the first half of the year, against what it called a challenging and uncertain backdrop.

Jimmy Choo said on Friday that sales benefited from its growing exposure to Asia and it expected to start seeing the impact of a shop renovation and new store opening plan come through in the second half of the year.

Over the first six months of the year, the company's adjusted core earnings (EBITDA) grew 0.5 percent to 27.7 million pounds ($42.7 million) on total revenue which was 6.5 percent higher at 158.5 million pounds.

The company, which listed on the London Stock Exchange last October, said the strength of its brand gave it confidence despite a lower growth environment for luxury goods.

($1 = 0.6483 pounds) (Reporting by Sarah Young, Editing by Paul Sandle)