Halfords is set to make a profit of £54 million for the latest full year, down from nearly £100m last year. The profit warning sent the company’s share price tumbling by a fifth.
Chief executive Graham Stapleton blamed the poor forecast on a shortage of skilled mechanics and a change in working practices, saying “people want to work less, and more flexibly”.
He said the the company’s short-term focus will be on recruiting skilled workers from rival motor service centres.
Earlier this week, Halfords auditor BDO requested more time to sieve through the company accounts. The preliminary results are now expected on 21 June, rather than the planned date of 15 June.