HMV confirmed it is one of the high street winners

Entertainment retailer HMV has confirmed it was one of the high street winners from the past year after a group-wide overhaul saw like-for-like sales lift 7.3%.

The group, which runs the same-name music and games stores as well as the Waterstone's book chain, said its turnaround plan was ahead of schedule as same-store sales growth at its UK and Ireland HMV stores was even further ahead at 11.4%.

Total group sales in the 12 months to April 28 were up 10.3% on the year before, with a 4.7% improvement for Waterstone's.

In a trading update, the management said they were confident that underlying pre-tax profits for the year would be towards the upper end of expectations.

In the previous year, the group - which operates around 700 stores in the UK and Ireland - saw like-for-like sales dip 3.5% as sales struggled amid tough high street and digital competition.

Chief executive Simon Fox launched a revival plan at the beginning of 2007, which included store revamps, a focus on big-selling games and consoles, and a digital music and online push.

He said on Friday: "As we complete the first full year of our three-year turnaround plan, we are ahead of where we expected to be."

HMV Group was one of the big winners over Christmas, with bumper sales of games, consoles and million-selling DVDs such as Simpsons The Movie and the Bourne Ultimatum helping boost turnover to record levels.

Like-for-like sales for the five weeks to January 5 were 9.4% ahead.

For the 16 weeks to April 26, the group's sales growth improved further, with like-for sales 10.1% ahead.