Windows passes BlackBerry in European phone market share September 30, 2013 WINDOWS Phone has overtaken BlackBerry to become the third most popular smartphone platform across Europe’s five largest markets, including the UK, data from Kantar Worldpanel showed yesterday. In the UK Windows Phone captured 12 per cent of smartphone market share in the three months ending August 2013, up from 4.5 per cent in the same [...]
Twitter plans to unveil IPO September 30, 2013 SOCIAL network Twitter plans to make its initial public offering (IPO) filing public this week, according to news website Quartz. Twitter revealed it had filed with US regulators on 12 September, but its filing currently remains confidential as allowed by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act for US companies with less than $1bn revenue. [...]
Tesco puts its US chain into bankruptcy September 30, 2013 TESCO put its US grocery store chain into bankruptcy yesterday as part of a plan to sell most of the 167 stores to a private equity firm led by billionaire Ron Burkle. Under the proposed sale, an affiliate of Tesco will lend Burkle’s private equity firm Yucaipa $120m to help fund the takeover of the [...]
Pawnbroker set for £35m stock rescue package September 30, 2013 TRADERS turned on high street pawnbroker Albemarle & Bond (A&B) yesterday after it laid plans for an emergency £35m cash bailout to salvage the troubled business. The Bristol-based outfit, the UK’s second biggest pawnbroker behind H&T, lost nearly half its value after shares fell over 40 per cent, slashing the value of the 30-year old [...]
GlaxoSmithKline sells thrombosis drug brands to Aspen for £700m September 30, 2013 BRITAIN’S biggest drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline has agreed the £700m sale of its thrombosis drug brands and a related factory to Aspen Pharmacare, as part of its strategy to focus on growth products. The company said yesterday the divestment to South Africa’s biggest generic drug maker would earn it proceeds of £600m and £100m of the headline [...]
Quindell Portfolio hires directors amid push to join the FTSE 250 September 30, 2013 OUTSOURCING firm Quindell Portfolio yesterday appointed two independent directors as part of a board re-jig ahead of its planned move to the main London Stock Exchange. The fast-growing Aim-listed company attracted attention earlier this year after it announced an astonishing 915 per cent rise in annual profits – only to see its share price halve [...]
HomeServe steers steady path with figures unchanged in year September 30, 2013 HOMESERVE said yesterday its earnings for the first half of 2014 are likely to remain much the same as last year, with trading weighted towards the second half of the financial year. In a trading update for the six months ending yesterday, the home emergency business said its outlook for the full year remained unchanged, [...]
Internet provider Kcom admits to debt rise in first half results September 30, 2013 COMMUNICATIONS and IT services provider Kcom Group yesterday said that it has performed in line with expectations ahead of its interim results due on 26 November. The Yorkshire-based company said that its net debt has increased since 31 March (reported at £88.2m), but that it expects to reduce its debt in the second half of [...]
Analyst Views: What do you make of the changes announced yesterday? September 30, 2013 ANDREW WATSON N+1 SINGERIt’s an encouraging sign they’ve appointed a new chief executive. The rights issue will help reduce the debt position but a more challenging trading environment will continue to provide headwinds. We expect strategy to focus on costs to maximise profits from the current store estate. OWEN JONES SHORE CAPITALWe wish Chris Gillespie [...]
Fastjet to take off to South Africa September 30, 2013 Fastjet said yesterday it is set to launch its first international flights outside of Tanzania in the coming months. The African budget airline said its first route to Johannesburg is now on-sale, with flights to Zambia and Malawi due to launch soon. The group saw operating losses widen to $39m (£24m) in the first half [...]