WH Smith: High street profit slumps ahead of Modella sale April 16, 2025 WHSmith’s high street division has reported a significant drop in trading profit, falling by over 30 per cent as it prepares for its sale to private equity firm Modella Capitlal. The retailer’s high street business delivered a profit of £15m for the six months to Febuary 28, 2025, down from £22m in the same period [...]
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 [...]
B&M: Poor UK sales weigh on earnings for bargain retailer April 15, 2025 Discount retailer B&M expects full-year earnings to fall year on year as poor UK sales weigh on overall company performance. However, the company told markets this morning that it expects to report earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) above the midpoint of its £605m-£625m guidance range. The firm lowered its expected full-year EBITDA [...]
Halfords: Sales jump but retailer warns tariffs could hit supply chain April 15, 2025 Motoring and cycling specialist Halfords has reported an uptick in sales but warned US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could push up costs across its supply chain. The retailer and services provider told markets this morning that sales grew 2.3 per cent in the year to March 28. Its share price rose more than 13 per [...]
WH Smith shareholders eye growth plans after sale of high street stores April 13, 2025 Investors in WH Smith will be keen for more details on its strategy after agreeing to sell its UK high street stores and the potential impact of US tariffs when the retail firm updates the market next week. It has been a busy start to 2025 for the historic retailer as it has pivoted to [...]
Shein gets the green light from City watchdog for London lPO April 11, 2025 Fast fashion retailer Shein has received preliminary approval from the City watchdog to float on the London Stock Exchange
L’Oreal: UK sales top £1.5bn for the first time April 11, 2025 Sales at the UK arm of L’Oreal topped £1.5bn for the first time in 2024 as its profit continued to surge, it has been revealed. The division of the French cosmetics giant has posted a turnover of £1.55bn for its latest 12 months, up from the £1.43bn it reported for 2023. New accounts filed with [...]
Consumer confidence flattens as recovery stalls despite wage growth April 11, 2025 Consumer confidence was flat in the first quarter of the year despite high wage growth, as economic uncertainty weighs on Brits. Overall consumer confidence rose 0.3 percentage points in the first three months of 2025, with sentiment towards the UK economy at its lowest level in over a year, according to Deloitte. “The consumer recovery [...]
FTSE 100: JD Sports back in fashion after share buyback and tariff U-turn April 10, 2025 JD Sports’ share price shot up more than 10 per cent this morning after the company announced a share buyback programme and US President Donald Trump announced a pause on tariffs. The FTSE-100 firm was set to be one of the UK retailers most exposed to the tariffs, as its suppliers source the majority of [...]
Bond Street dethrones Milan with Europe’s most expensive retail rent April 10, 2025 London’s Bond Street has been crowned Europe’s most expensive street to rent, stealing the top spot from Milan. In 2024, Bond Street reported a 20 per cent uplift in prime headline rents, taking its benchmark prime rent to €15,333 (£13,162) per sqm. It has overtaken Milan’s Via Monte Napoleone (£12,872 per sq m), which held [...]