Ryanair share price up after approving IAG’s offer for Aer Lingus stake July 10, 2015 Ryanair’s board has voted unanimously to sell its 29.8 per cent stake in Aer Lingus to International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways. Despite attempts by the low-fare airline to keep hold of its stake in its Irish rival, it was ordered to sell it by competition regulators in 2012. After months of [...]
InterContinental Hotels share price jumps after selling off InterContinental Hong Kong for $938m July 10, 2015 Shareholders’ hopes will be raised after InterContinental Hotels Group said it had sold the InterContinental Hong Kong, one of its flagship hotels. The hotelier announced the sale of the five star hotel to Supreme Key, a consortium of investors, early this morning. The deal is a continuation of IHG’s sell-off strategy, under which the chain [...]
After US launch Primark heads for Italy; opening first stores in Milan next year July 10, 2015 Primark is so inspired by its "Primarni" nickname, it's entering the Italian market ahead of schedule, it said today. The fashion brand will open the first of up to three Italian stores in Milan next summer, according to owner Associated British Foods. Shares in the group rose, following a trading update reporting a “modest decline” [...]
Coty lands sweet smelling $12bn Procter & Gamble beauty deal July 9, 2015 In a transaction valued at $12.5bn (£8.1bn), multinational consumer goods company Procter & Gamble (P&G) has agreed to sell 43 of its brands to global beauty products manufacturer Coty. The various brands acquired by Coty include Max Factor, Hugo Boss and Lacoste, and all compete in the hair care, retail cosmetics and fine fragrance sectors. [...]
BT calls for Ofcom inquiry into Sky July 9, 2015 BT has called on industry watchdog Ofcom to expand its Digital Communications Review to tackle Sky's dominance of the pay-television sector. “Sky has benefited from a situation where there’s been very little or weak regulation,” John Petter, chief executive of BT’s consumer division, said in a speech to the Broadcasting Press Guild in London. "Sky [...]
Fashion chain Reiss is exploring a share sale July 9, 2015 Family owned high street fashion chain Reiss, a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, is reportedly exploring a share sale which could value the company at as much as £325m. The company's founder David Reiss is exploring bringing in outside investors for the first time since the company was founded in 1971. According to a report by Sky [...]
Cyber security firm NCC’s revenue rise is not reflected in stalling profits July 9, 2015 Cyber security firm NCC has revealed rising revenue in the year ending 31 March. Revenue was up 21 per cent from 2014, to 133.7m. Finance boss Atul Patel, told City A.M. that this showed “another record year of strong international growth.” The revenue growth did not though prompt a rise in profits at the Manchester-based [...]
July Budget 2015: IFA Hargreaves Lansdown offers 10 tips for investors to navigate new dividend rules carefully July 9, 2015 Yesterday's Budget included a significant shake up of the way dividends are taxed. Instead of the current tax credit, from next April investors will receive a £5,000 allowance after which dividends will be taxed at 7.5 per cent, 32.5 per cent, or 38.1 per cent depending on their income tax band. Isa and pension [...]
Balfour Beatty share price falls as it issues £150m profit warning July 9, 2015 Maybe that takeover rebuttal wasn't such a good idea? Shares in construction giant Balfour Beatty – which this time last year unceremoniously rejected a merger bid from rival Carillion – fell more than five per cent to 216.4p this morning after it admitted pre-tax profits are likely to be hit by "legacy issues" across its [...]
Premier Oil share price up despite falling oil price hitting sales July 9, 2015 The figures Shares in North Sea oil giant Premier Oil were up 1.6 per cent at 139p in early trading, despite a trading update showing falling oil prices and lower production had hit the company hard, with first-half results posted in August expected to show revenues fell 34 per cent to $580m (£377m) in the six months [...]