CITY VIEWS: HAS IKEA SAID GOODBYE TO ITS GLORY DAYS? July 7, 2009 ANDREW GARRARD WILLIS“It’s a sign of the times. Perhaps people have forgotten their old ‘Chuck out your chintz’ slogan, or maybe they’re moving on to the pound shop. Ikea is a bit of a first-time buyers’ store and obviously there are less of those around at the moment.” IAIN MUIRHEAD ITECH“It’s not an attractive store [...]
Bidders line up as Habitat set to change hands in days December 3, 2009 HABITAT, the home furnishing chain, could be sold as early as next week with management and restructuring specialist Hilco said to be the front-running bidder. The retailer, founded in the 1960s by Sir Terence Conran, was put up for sale in October by the Kamprad family. The Kamprad family are also the rich Swedish heirs [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING October 22, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES GARTMORE ON BRINK OF £500M IPOGartmore, the fund management group equally owned by management and private equity group Hellman & Friedman, aims to register flotation plans with the UK’s Financial Services Authority as early as next week. The group has appointed Morgan Stanley and Citigroup to advise it on completing an initial public [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 11, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES GAZPROM IN IRAN PIPELINE TALKSGazprom is in talks with Iran and Pakistan to build a large section of a long-awaited gas pipeline between the two countries, a senior Iranian energy official says. The participation of Russia’s state-controlled energy group could kick-start the pipeline project, which has been delayed because of disagreements that have [...]
Ryanair falls to first ever annual loss June 2, 2009 BUDGET airline Ryanair reported its first ever annual loss yesterday, blaming high fuel costs and massive writedowns on the value of its stake in Irish rival Aer Lingus. The no-frills airline said its losses for the year to 31 March 2009 were €180.4m (£155m), down from a profit of €481m the previous year. The company [...]
Ryanair falls to first ever annual loss June 2, 2009 BUDGET airline Ryanair reported its first ever annual loss yesterday, blaming high fuel costs and massive writedowns on the value of its stake in Irish rival Aer Lingus. The no-frills airline said its losses for the year to 31 March 2009 were €180.4m (£155m), down from a profit of €481m the previous year. The company [...]
Jon Moulton: why making money is my hobby as well as my profession September 5, 2008 The City’s most outspoken private equity chief talks to Katie Hope about the credit crunch At a time when most of the financial services sector is in despair over how bad the economic crisis is, Jon Moulton can barely contain his glee. He estimates the credit crunch will go on for “at least two years” [...]