Cafe bar operator raises £83m ahead of float as valuation comes in below City expectations April 24, 2019 Cafe bar operator Loungers has raised more than £80m today ahead of its listing next week. Read more: Restaurant sector defies confidence slump as UK leisure spending grows However, the group is set to valued at £185m when it floats, falling below City expectations of a £250m market capitalisation. The owner of 146 neighbourhood, café bars [...]
WH Smith: High-flyer divides City April 24, 2019 | City Talk By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Latest results are fuel for another assault on a record high. Here’s why Smith splits the Square Mile. With £1 billion worth of dividends or buybacks since 2007, WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) shareholders can have few complaints about the retailer’s tried and tested strategy when it comes to selling stationery, [...]
London is leading the way for a more sustainable fashion industry April 24, 2019 Tomorrow marks the six-year anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh. A stark reminder of the real human cost of the current fashion industry, and an important time to consider what the future of fashion is shaping up to be. Rana Plaza housed five garment factories that made clothes for big global brands. [...]
Fast fashion: Boohoo profit piles up as online retailer forges ahead of competitors April 24, 2019 Boohoo’s shares rose this morning as it announced it has bucked the trend in the struggling clothing retail sector with a 49 per cent rise in profit. Read more: Boohoo shares fall despite explosive sales growth The so-called fast fashion retailer, which targets 16-30 year olds with its Boohoo, Nasty Gal and Pretty Little Thing [...]
Primark profits soar but owner ABF blames poor sugar performance for fall in profits April 24, 2019 Primark delivered an “excellent” 25 per cent profit growth in the six months to March even as owner Associated British Foods (ABF) saw overall income shrink. Read more: A look inside the world's largest Primark The figures ABF witnessed a huge 15 per cent year-on-year drop in statutory profit before tax to £515m after paying a [...]
Debenhams owners to outline plans to shut 20 stores April 23, 2019 Debenhams is poised to outline plans this week to bring forward the closure of 20 of its stores, according to Sky News. The new owners of the department store chain, which include Barclays and hedge fund Silver Point, will launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in the next 48 hours that will allow it to [...]
Fevertree boss Tim Warrillow quadruples pay package in 2018 April 23, 2019 The chief executive of Fevertree more than quadrupled his pay package last year, after the firm reported a surge in profits and revenue despite challenges posed by a new sugar tax. Tim Warrillow’s remuneration hit 3.98m last year, up from 844,000 the year before, the company revealed today. Read more: Fevertree's remarkable turnaround Performance incentives [...]
French supermarket Casino expands Amazon delivery deal April 23, 2019 French supermarket group Casino is set to further its partnership with Amazon, following the success of a delivery deal with its Monoprix brand. Read more: French supermarket Carrefour denies making an offer for rival The retailer will roll out Amazon's high speed delivery service, Prime Now, in cities outside of Paris, making its Monoprix brand products [...]
Majestic Wines looks to sell off UK retail business as online shift continues April 23, 2019 Majestic Wines could sell off its entire UK retail business as it pivots to focus on its online wine seller brand Naked Wines. Read more: British Land sells Sainsbury's superstores for £429m The company’s board has appointed Rothschild bankers to explore a potential sale of its retail and commercial portfolio, which include around 200 stores. City [...]
British Land offloads Sainsbury’s superstores for £429m to cut retail exposure April 23, 2019 British Land has sold a swathe of Sainsbury’s superstores for £429m as it ploughs ahead with a plan to reduce its exposure to retail property. Read more: British Land swings to £42m loss as retail market hits portfolio value The FTSE 100 landlord revealed this morning that it is selling 12 superstores from its joint [...]