Consumer electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi has admitted it is struggling to achieve its gender diversity targets because male employees, particularly in regional areas and senior management ranks, are not moving on.

In 2014, about 39 per cent of JB Hi-Fi’s employees were women, but women accounted for just 4 per cent of its senior management and executive team (1 of 23), compared with 5 per cent in 2013 and 9.5 per cent in 2012.

Morgan Stanley analyst Thomas Kierath said Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi could earn up to $200 million each in extra sales from the demise of Dick Smith.

Only 21 per cent of commissioned sales staff and only 10 per cent of store managers were women and the company had no female store managers in regional areas.