Sales from June 1-27 were up 10% from a year earlier, a good sign for the start of H&M's third quarter.
The womenswear collection drove the boost in sales, Helmersson told a news conference.
Shares in the world's second-biggest fashion retailer jumped 11% to hit their highest level since February 2022.
The stronger-than-expected profit and inventory position helped investors digest a weaker margin of 8.2% for the second quarter, down from 9.2% a year earlier.
H&M last year announced layoffs and other cost cuts that it said would help it reduce costs from the second half of 2023 onwards.
Persons:
Helmersson, Helena Helmersson, Inditex, Cedric Rossi, Bryan Garnier, Rossi
Organizations:
Oxford
Locations:
London, Europe, Zara, Paris, Swedish