Can cautious Wolfson keep stunning Next shareholders? Retail Lord Simon Wolfson has become a shareholder darling over his 25 years in charge of Next. Felix Armstrong asks whether he can keep on surprising them. Few companies listed on the London Stock Exchange are more bound up with the personality of their chief executives than Next. Lord Simon Wolfson, the long-time boss of the [...]
H&M misses sales target as cost-cutting leaves retailer understocked Retail H&M slumped to lower than expected sales and profit as the retailer warned that its cost-cutting drive is leaving some stores unable to keep up with demand. The Swedish-listed firm took 54.8bn kronor (£4.2bn) in sales in the three months to the end of May, flat year on year. Its operating profit jumped by 11 [...]
Frasers bid for Hugo Boss ‘more compelling’ amid turnaround Retail The €2bn bid for Hugo Boss launched by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has become “more compelling” as the German fashion house’s near-term outlook softens, analysts have said. The takeover offer, tabled by the FTSE 250 firm earlier this month, proposed to exchange €38 per share for the equity in Hugo Boss it does not already [...]
Matalan kicks off turnaround under new boss as retailer slashes jobs June 17, 2026 Matalan’s new boss has kicked off the fast fashion retailer’s wide-range turnaround which has revamped dozens of stores but caused the loss of more than 600 jobs. Henrik Nordvall, who took the reins as chief executive in November, said he is “encouraged by the progress already underway” as the clothes seller pushes to renew its [...]
Debenhams owner hails ‘successful transformation’ as loss narrows June 16, 2026 Debenhams’ owner has hailed a “successful transformation” following its drastic turnaround, though the fast-fashion group still posted a £100m loss. The AIM-listed group, which owns brands including Debenhams, Pretty Little Thing and Karen Millen, saw its pre-tax loss narrow by 69 per cent to £108m in the year to February. The fashion firm, which is [...]
Can Primark go it alone after ABF split? April 22, 2026 FTSE 100 giant Associated British Foods ended months of rumour when it announced its demerger from Primark. Felix Armstrong explores how the budget clothes retailer will fare on its own. Walk into Oxford Street’s Primark, battle through the tightly packed rows of cut-price clothing, and your eyes will seize on the bright blue lights of [...]
On: Sales surge by £40m before Ibiza Final Boss viral boost December 19, 2025 Sales at sports clothes and shoes brand On in the UK jumped by £40m in the year before it went viral thanks to the ‘Ibiza Final Boss’. The brand was caught up in a social media sensation earlier this year when the ‘Ibiza Final Boss’, real name Jack Kay, was captured on video dancing at [...]
eBay: UK profit surges after selling fees removed October 15, 2025 Profit at the UK arm of eBay has surged despite its decision to waive selling fees impacting its revenue during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The division of the US giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £36.5m for 2024, up from the £2.7m it achieved in 2023. New accounts filed with [...]
British icon in the red after Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes costs jobs October 10, 2025 John Smedley, the historic family-owned luxury knitwear brand, has been forced to raise prices and make redundancies as it battles Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax hikes as it fell into the red. The Derbyshire-headquartered business can trace its roots back to 1784 and is currently run by the eighth generation of the Smedley family. Executive chairman [...]
Topshop and Topman losses revealed before John Lewis move October 7, 2025 Losses at the joint venture behind Topshop and Topman have been revealed ahead of the brand’s return to UK stores next year. The brands were sold by online clothing retailer Asos to a joint venture alongside Danish retail tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen’s Heartland in September 2024. Asos had previously acquired Topshop and Topman along with [...]