David Jones back in fashionable black Sue Mitchell Upmarket retailer David Jones is back in fashionable black after slashing costs, reducing discounts and promotions, cutting debt by selling landmark stores and taking about $35 million in JobKeeper subsidies. David Jonesâ adjusted operating profit rose 33.3 per cent to $56 million in the six months ending December, according to accounts filed by its South African parent, Woolworths Holdings, on Thursday. It was a major turnaround from the June half of 2020, when David Jones lost $53 million as same-store sales fell 14.4 per cent. It crashed to a full year loss of $33 million last year compared with a $37 million profit in 2019.