HR Owen says no to takeover August 8, 2013 LUXURY car dealer HR Owen has again rejected a takeover bid from Berjaya Philippines, which became its biggest shareholder last month. HR Owen execs met with Berjaya for the first time just a day before the conglomerate made its £32.5m bid, taking the firm by surprise. “It’s difficult to know what they plan to do [...]
Stamp firm in online move August 8, 2013 STANLEY Gibbons, the UK’s largest stamp collecting firm, said yesterday that it is investing in the launch of an online trading website for collectibles. CEO Mike Hall told City A.M. that he felt there was a gap in the market to launch an eBay-style site for high-end collectibles. “I’ve always believed that our market needs [...]
AMEC cuts revenue outlook as weak mining sector hits profit August 8, 2013 ENGINEERING firm AMEC yesterday cut its revenue outlook for the year, after falling demand in the mining sector led half-year profits to miss forecasts. The FTSE 100-listed company, which provides services and equipment for the oil and gas, mining, nuclear and renewable energy sectors, said it expects full-year revenue to be in line with 2012, [...]
Nestle results miss forecasts August 8, 2013 NESTLE, the world’s biggest food group, missed first-half sales forecasts and trimmed its 2013 target yesterday after it cut some prices in Europe in a bid to lure recession-hit shoppers. The firm said underlying sales rose 4.1 per cent in the first half, implying a deterioration from 4.3 per cent in the first quarter, mainly [...]
Cobham reins in growth outlook August 8, 2013 Defence supplier Cobham tempered its post-2014 outlook slightly yesterday, blaming uncertainty over US military spending after it reported a three per cent fall in first-half pre-tax profit to £137m. Cobham, whose products help aircraft and military vehicles communicate, said it now expects “mid-single-digit organic growth” .
Revenues down at Coca-Cola HBC August 8, 2013 Coca-Cola HBC yesterday announced that its volumes fell by two per cent over the second quarter of 2013, as a stronger performance in emerging markets was offset by a decline in more established markets. The bottler’s sales revenues decreased by two per cent to €1.95bn (£1.68bn), with the slowdown reflecting “the ongoing difficult macroeconomic environment” [...]
Huntsworth revenues fall August 8, 2013 Like-for-like revenues at public relations group Huntsworth fell 0.5 per cent in the first six months of the year, while pre-tax profits slipped from £11.6m to £10.6m. The company, which operates Grayling, Citigate and Huntsworth Health, said strong growth in the US was offset by weakness in Europe and the UK.
Flybe to start new review August 8, 2013 Flybe, whose new chief executive Saad Hammad started last week, is to conduct a full review of all operations in a bid to stem losses, the firm revealed yesterday. The airline sold its Gatwick slots earlier this year and booked £2.7m in restructuring costs in the last quarter. The firm said quarterly group revenues rose [...]
A treadmill desk to fight the fat at US law firm August 8, 2013 LONDON law firms yesterday scoffed at the latest multi-tasking trend from those imaginative folks across the pond – running and working at the same time. In a bid to help staff battle the bulge Ohio law firm Taft Stettinius and Hollister is the first to embrace the idea, by installing desks with treadmills underneath. Partner [...]
Row our boat gently down the Channel say Seven Investment August 8, 2013 AN INTREPID team of eight novice rowers from City firm Seven Investment Management are setting sail for France tomorrow, in a bid to row 21 miles across the channel. None had rowed before “except in the gym”, they told The Capitalist. But having raised £12,388 so far for the Ahoy Centre, a charity that helps [...]