Mike Ashley’s investments double to £1bn thanks to Hugo Boss shares Retail The total value of the stakes Mike Ashley’s empire holds in the likes of Hugo Boss, AO World and Boohoo have doubled to £1bn in just over a year, it has been revealed. According to the group’s latest financial results, which have been filed with the London Stock Exchange, the value of its investments in [...]
Mike Ashley tightens grip on Hugo Boss amid dividend demand Retail Frasers Group, the retail empire controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, has tightened its grip on Hugo Boss after upping its stake. The owner of Sports Direct and House of Fraser has increased its shareholding in the German giant to in excess off 32 per cent. In a statement, Frasers Group said it “continues to consider [...]
What’s behind the post-pandemic tumble in Diageo and Pernod Ricard shares? hospitality Two of the world’s biggest drinks companies, Diageo and Pernod Ricard, have had a bruising time of it on the stock market in the last two years. Since mid-2023, shares in Pernod Ricard have dropped nearly 60 per cent, while market leader Diageo has seen its share price fall over 40 per cent. A lot [...]
Sunny spring boosts grocers as Brits buy 2,400 packs of strawberries every minute June 24, 2025 The UK’s unusual burst of sun boosted purchases of fruit and ice lollies this spring, although food inflation continued to soar at the UK’s grocers. Higher prices for fresh meats, chocolate and butters drove food inflation to 4.7 per cent, its highest level since February 2024, according to data insights group Kantar. But Fraser McKevitt, [...]
Mark Kleinman: Reeves’ City IPO push still lacks momentum May 22, 2025 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column Reeves’ City IPO push still lacks momentum It’s the City’s most oft-recurring question: how do you reverse the alarming decline in London’s attractiveness as a destination for IPOs? The bald statistics legitimise the urgency of the [...]
Debenhams: Shares in Boohoo owner rise amid £175m refinancing talks May 12, 2025 Shares in Debenhams Group, which also includes brands such as Boohoo, have risen amid talks over a £175m refinancing its huge debt pile as it looks to turn around the struggling business. The owner of Pretty Little Thing, which rebranded to Debenhams earlier this year in a shift to a marketplace model, has been struggling [...]
Frasers to launch Sports Direct in Australia and New Zealand April 15, 2025 Frasers will enter into a long-term agreement with wholesaler Accent Group to launch Sports Direct across Australia and New Zealand in the next step in its international growth plans. The 25-year partnership aims to rollout up to 100 Sports Direct stores across the region, which would boost the total number of Sports Direct stores by [...]
Mike Ashley-owned Frasers to cut a third of design and editorial staff March 18, 2025 Mike Ashley-owned Frasers Group may cut nearly a third of staff within its design and editorial teams, according to reports. It entered into a consultation with staff of March 7 as part of the company’s latest restructure, Retail Gazette reported. Sources told the trade publication that the redundancy process will not affect managerial roles and [...]
Hornby: Mike Ashley-backed toymaker announces plans to go private March 13, 2025 Hornby, the international models and collectibles group advised by Mike Ashley, has announced plans to go private as it looks to sidestep regulatory hurdles and cut costs. The firm told markets Thursday it intends to strike its shares off London’s AIM stock exchange, citing regulatory burdens, limited liquidity and the high cost of maintaining a [...]
Workers rights: Don’t let ‘rogue’ firms undercut good employers, MPs urge March 3, 2025 Changes to the government’s workers’ rights package should be made to ensure “rogue firms” don’t undercut Britain’s best employers, MPs have urged. The Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, should have loopholes closed to avoid some companies exploiting work insecurity, the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee (BTC) has [...]