Net asset value grows at John Laing but profit falls March 3, 2020 Infrastructure company John Laing said today its net asset value (NAV) grew 4.3 per in 2019. The FTSE 250 company said NAV per share was 337p at 31 December, compared to 323p per share on 31 December 2018. NAV grew to £1.6bn from £1.5bn the previous year. Pre-tax profit for the year fell to £100m [...]
Cairn Homes revenue and profit rises as average selling price jumps March 3, 2020 Cairn Homes has reported a 28 per cent jump in operating profit, with the Irish hosuebuilder benefitting from an increase in the number of homes sold and a rise in their average selling price. Operating profit for the year ending 31 December hit €68m (£59m), according to preliminary results released this morning, while revenue increased [...]
Direct Line says coronavirus claims could weigh on its travel business March 3, 2020 Direct Line said today that the coronavirus outbreak could hit the 2020 sales of its travel business. The insurer said it had incurred coronavirus-related claims of around £1m, the majority of which were for trips to regions where the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) advised against all but essential travel. The company also estimated the [...]
Coronavirus concerns see hand sanitiser sales leap 255 per cent March 3, 2020 Coronavirus fears saw sales of hand sanitiser spike 255 per cent in February, according to supermarket data released today. Sakes of liquid soaps also rose seven per cent as shoppers hit the shelves as the number of coronavirus cases outside China rose sharply last month, research firm Kantar said. Sales of household cleaners jumped 10 [...]
CMC Markets flags profit jump amid Covid-19 stock volatility March 3, 2020 Online trading platform CMC Markets today predicted that its full year profit would beat market forecasts amid higher customer trading due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Net operating income for the year to the end of March is set to beat the current estimate of £199m to £202.3m. “I am delighted that CMC’s strategy of [...]
No fly zone: As coronavirus fears grow, airlines must brace for the worst March 3, 2020 One of last month’s more outlandish news stories was the report that the coronavirus outbreak had caused an upsurge in private jet inquiries. More wealthy travellers than ever, it seems, are willing to pay thousands of pounds an hour for a plane unto themselves, in an attempt to dodge the risk of getting infected. The [...]
How your old laptop could change a life March 3, 2020 At a late age I found myself homeless. I was homeless for 15 years.” This statement may sound shocking, but for Ann, this was reality — until she became a member of Thames Reach’s Step-Up project. The Step-Up project is a free support service helping low-paid Londoners progress into better paid work. As Dominika Milowka, [...]
Greggs unveils record 2019 results but says storms slowed sales this year March 3, 2020 Bakery chain Greggs today unveiled record results for 2019, but warned that storms hit its sales last month. The baker said pre-tax profit for the 52 weeks to 28 December was £108.3m, up 31 per cent on the previous year. Total sales grew 13.5 per cent to £1.16bn, with like-for-like sales in company-managed shops up [...]
Coronavirus: Boris Johnson to outline UK ‘battle plan’ to combat Covid-19 outbreak March 3, 2020 Boris Johnson is set to unveil a government action plan to outline the UK’s response to a growing number of coronavirus cases across Britain. The Prime Minister will reveal a six-point plan at a Downing Street later today in which he is expected to commit to school closures and event cancellations if the spread of [...]
DEBATE: Could Sir Philip Rutnam’s resignation turn into a major headache for the government? March 3, 2020 Could Sir Philip Rutnam’s resignation turn into a major headache for the government? Eliot Wilson, head of research at Right Angles and a former House of Commons official, says YES. The resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam is not just a spat between a Whitehall mandarin and his minister. Its impact goes much further than that, [...]