Analyst Views: What did you make of the sale in the context of friday’s profit warning? January 20, 2014 CHRISTINE TISCARENO | STANDARD & POOR’SThis is a small sale for Shell but they are under shareholder pressure to streamline their portfolio. They have to be more picky now. We saw the profit warning coming from mid-2013 due to problems in Nigeria. I think 2014 will be an annus horribilis for Shell, but things should improve [...]
Strong quarter for Shanta Gold January 20, 2014 East Africa-focused miner Shanta Gold yesterday unveiled a strong fourth quarter, with gold production up 3.6 per cent. The Aim-listed company said that full-year production in 2013 marginally beat guidance at 64,054 ounces, compared to 63,000 ounces. “We are confident in our ability to achieve full-year 2014 production guidance of 80,000 ounces,” said chief executive [...]
Union confirms strike at Lonmin January 20, 2014 Lonmin is the latest of the South African platinum miners to receive notice of a strike from the militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), the dominant union representing the FTSE 250-listed firm’s workers. The strike will start on 23 January, with Amcu demanding higher pay. Workers at rival miners Anglo American Platinum and [...]
Amara Mining output rises 86pc January 20, 2014 Amara Mining, the West Africa-focused gold miner, yesterday posted an 86 per cent rise in production in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter and said full-year production hit 42,348 ounces. The Aim-listed company set its 2014 production guidance at 60,000 to 70,000 ounces. “We note the update provides no cost guidance and suspect [...]
Plans to rethink West End ahead of Crossrail rush January 20, 2014 WEST End leaders have hired consultants to come up with a plan for improving the busy shopping district to cope with a surge in visitors when Crossrail opens in 2018. Westminster City council, Transport for London and the New West End Company – the group that represents businesses in the area – have commissioned Arup [...]
Store makeovers help Superdrug keep its tills ringing at Christmas January 20, 2014 SUPERDRUG yesterday posted a rise in like-for-like sales over Christmas thanks to a revamp of its stores and shoppers buying gifts such as perfume over the festive period. The health and beauty retailer, which launched 50 years ago on Putney High Street and now has 850 shops in the UK & Ireland, said like-for-like sales [...]
Portmeirion set to smash sales record for the fifth year running January 20, 2014 PORTMEIRION is expecting its fifth consecutive year of record sales after strong Christmas demand for its luxury tableware. The Aim-listed tableware producer, which also owns Spode, Royal Worcester and Pimpernel, yesterday forecast revenues of over £58m before tax for the 2013 calendar year. The figure is five per cent up on 2012. Portmeirion said it [...]
Laura Ashley rewards investors with a £7.5m bonus dividend January 20, 2014 LAURA Ashley said yesterday it is to reward shareholders with a £7.5m bonus dividend as a token of appreciation. The home furnishings and fashion retailer, which is majority owned by the Malaysian conglomerate MUI, declared an interim dividend of one pence per share for the year to 25 January. “This is to show our appreciation [...]
RBS disposes of Bankside offices January 20, 2014 The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has hired property consultants Cushman & Wakefield and DTZ to dispose of its largest London office campus at 2 Bankside as part of the bank’s strategy to scale back its office property portfolio. The building forms part of the Bankside development on the South Bank, which was bought in [...]
Aukett Fitzroy enjoys profit surge January 20, 2014 Aim-listed architectural firm Aukett Fitzroy Robinson has said that profits more than doubled last year, buoyed by returning confidence in the construction sector and its key markets. The firm, which bought the European arm of American rival Swanke Hayden Connell last month for £1.6m, said pre-tax profits jumped by 162 per cent to £550,000 in [...]