Sales rise at instrument seller Gear4Music as bosses upbeat

The retailer looks set to beat market expectations when it publishes preliminary results later this year

Online instrument shop Gear4Music has hailed “excellent” trading as reports a 30% surge in sales.

The York-based retailer saw total sales rise 30% in the year to the end of March, with pre-tax profits up £9.7m from £1.6m the year before. The year-end trading update has beaten market expectations for the London Stock Exchange-listed firm.

Bosses there said the strong revenue growth has continued into the 2027 financial year with a new warehouse lease agreed that will expand capacity for the UK’s largest online seller of guitars, keyboards and other musical equipment.

Andrew Wass, Gear4Music executive chair, pointed to strong revenue growth in the final quarter of the 2026 financial year and credited a new growth strategy announced in June 2024 as the driver.

He added: “We also note that, despite £3.6m of deposits paid in Q4 FY26 in relation to the fit-out of our new UK warehouse, net bank debt has reduced for a fourth consecutive year to £5m. The lease for the new UK warehouse completed as scheduled on April 1, 2026, with fit-out works now underway and progressing on schedule and within budget.

“The new facility will provide the additional capacity and efficiency required to support future UK growth, and as previously reported the total fit-out costs for FY27 are expected to be £10.2m.

“During Q4 FY26, we successfully delivered several significant new technical development projects, including the launch of an AI-based inventory forecasting and purchasing platform, a digital promotions centre enabling more targeted customer incentives, and a website AI chatbot providing product information and advice.

“These developments are already supporting further growth. As previously announced, revenue growth accelerated from mid-March 2025 and notwithstanding more challenging year-on-year comparatives, strong revenue growth has continued into April 2026.

“Whilst it remains early in the financial year and the board has not yet made any changes to FY27 forecasts, it remains confident that the business will build on the substantial financial progress achieved in FY26. Trading in FY27 to date is in line with consensus market expectations.”