Costa spin-off could lead to £3bn Whitbread windfall – and cost just £20m April 15, 2018 Whitbread shareholders could snaffle a £3bn windfall if the firm spends just £20m spinning off Costa Coffee – a move one the world’s most famous activist hedge funds is clamouring for. Elliott Advisors has built up a £430m position in Whitbread over the last year. A stock market disclosure late on Friday revealed it is [...]
David Lloyd investor ICG Enterprise Trust makes record proceeds and outperforms October 9, 2017 Listed private equity fund the ICG Enterprise Trust has announced it generated record proceeds in the first half of this year, receiving £117m from the sale of various investments. The trust, which invests in other private equity funds as well as making its own investments alongside funds, increased the underlying value of its portfolio to [...]
Tim Henman interview: Calendar Slam for Novak Djokovic would be an achievement with no rival across sport June 23, 2016 Should Novak Djokovic complete the calendar Grand Slam and win all four major tournaments in the same year it would be an unrivalled feat across any sport, according to former British No1 Tim Henman. World No1 Djokovic will bid for the third leg of his four-pronged quest for the Holy Grail when Wimbledon begins on Monday, [...]
FTSE 100 history: how the index has changed over 33 years July 3, 2017 The FTSE 100 index has just seen one of its quarterly changes with security firm G4S and real estate investment trust Segro promoted to the top 100. Although perhaps small in themselves, these regular events have changed the face of the UK’s leading index since it was formed in 1984. For the many investors whose [...]
Wimbledon 2015: Murray is back to his best, says former trainer Mark Petchey June 29, 2015 After ending the 77-year wait for a British winner of Wimbledon two years ago, Andy Murray endured a torrid year in 2014, crashing out at the quarter-finals stage to Bulgarian Grigor Dmitrov. Read more: Murray ready to plot route to a second SW19 crown In fact, Murray has yet to add to his grand slam haul [...]
Private equity firms dine out on restaurant chains January 19, 2016 The restaurants and bar sector was a veritable feeding frenzy of deals last year, with more choice of companies to buy than an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Robust trading conditions thanks to improved consumer spending provided an opportune time for private equity companies to sell long-term investments to rival buyout firms with cash to spend. CBPE’s sale of [...]
Carpetright chairman Lord Harris to take his leave after 26 years October 21, 2014 CARPETRIGHT founder and chairman Lord Harris announced yesterday he would be stepping down – and this time for good – after naming Mitchells & Butlers boss Bob Ivell as his successor. Harris first announced his retirement in May only to reveal weeks later that he planned to stay on as non-executive chairman until a replacement [...]
From Greece and Natalie Bennett to the banks and London’s skyline: Here’s what got us talking this week February 27, 2015 There was a lot of talk about a dress. And quite a bit about the llama drama. But here at City A.M. Towers, we were obsessing about plenty of other things. Greece finally managed to break the stalemate over its debt, negotiating a four month extension with Germany, and ending weeks of debate about a [...]
Watchdog tells gyms to make contracts fairer September 10, 2013 GYM members will be able to cancel their contracts more easily, after the Office of Fair Trading struck a deal with LA Fitness, Dave Whelan Sports and gym management firm Harlands Group. The companies have agreed to let customers end their membership if they lose their job or suffer an injury, and have pledged to [...]
David Lloyd sold to private equity fund September 5, 2013 HEALTH and fitness club David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) yesterday outlined an ambitious £50m expansion plan after being sold to UK private equity firm TDR Capital for just under £750m. The business, founded by former tennis ace David Lloyd over 30 years ago, said it has over 20 new centres in the pipeline across the country [...]