Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has said that it was strong store and online sales and profits in the first quarter, leading to a planned push in international expansion.

The Swedish retailer announced a net profit of 3.6 billion Swedish kronor (£284 million) which is a rise of 36% from the previous year. It is planning to open 400 stores this year, in China and the US as well as new markets including Peru, Macau, South Africa and India.

Chief executive of H&M Karl-Johan Persson said: "We have made a very good start to 2015 - in terms of both sales and profits," adding "Our attractive customer offering and strong expansion both through stores and online, as well as our work on continuous improvement, are among the reasons for increased market share gains and good profits."

It has also been reported that H&M are planning to open around 400 new stores in the 2014-15 financial year.