FTSE 100 closes in on 10,000 after outperforming US indices Markets The FTSE 100 is inching a step closer to the magic 10,000 mark after almost a year of outperforming counterparts across the Atlantic. London’s blue-chip index rallied on the open before giving up some gains to settle on a broadly flat level. It follows two consecutive record closes with the City shrugging off bubbling tensions [...]
Specsavers: Sales and profit rise as bumper pay day scrapped Retail Specsavers has scrapped the bumper dividend it has been handing to its billionaire owners despite its sales and profit growing during its latest financial year. The chain has paid out £15m in each its last two financial years to founders Dame Mary Perkins and her husband Doug. Over that time, Specsavers’ turnover has increased from [...]
JCB billionaire banks record £866m pay day Business The billionaire Bamford family paid themselves £866m despite JCB’s sales and profit being slashed in 2024, it has been revealed. The Staffordshire-headquartered manufacturer issued the huge dividend which was up significantly from the £300m it paid out in 2023. The dividend total from 2023 had previously been JCB’s largest pay out in a decade until [...]
Manchester United stadium designer rakes in the millions September 22, 2025 The architecture empire founded by Sir Norman Foster has issued a £83m pay out after revenue and profit rocketed following a surge in activity in the Middle East. Foster + Partners has declared the huge dividend for the year to 30 April, 2025, which will be mainly paid to Canadian private investor, Hennick & Company. The [...]
The Apprentice star gets £20m pay day after Lord Alan Sugar deal September 16, 2025 A star of hit BBC One show The Apprentice has enjoyed a bumper pay day to the tune of £20m for the year after buying out Lord Alan Sugar. Entrepreneur Susie Ma, who was a finalist on the 2011 series, took back full control of the company she founded in 2004 at the age of [...]
HSBC lands £333m in dividends from takeover of Silicon Valley Bank UK September 9, 2025 HSBC Innovation Banking has handed a £333m in dividends to its parent company amid a surge in profitability after completing its first full year as a subsidiary of HSBC Group. The lender, which had been the UK subsidiary of Silicon Valley Bank until the latter’s demise in 2023, paid HSBC a special dividend of £198m [...]
Arne: Brothers enjoy huge pay day as profit surges September 1, 2025 The brothers behind clothing brand Arne have raked in the cash after sales and profit at their company surged in 2024 ahead of the brand opening its first store. The Warrington-headquartered business has posted a turnover of £84.1m and pre-tax profit of £11.9m for 2024 The figures compare to the turnover of £37.4m and pre-tax [...]
FTSE 100 banks add £80bn in market value this year August 19, 2025 Shares in the UK’s top FTSE 100 banks, Barclays, Natwest, Lloyds and HSBC have all hit decade highs this year, producing more than £80bn in market value. The banking sector is the second-best performing FTSE 100 sector this year with a return of 37 per cent, second only to the defence sector. The FTSE 100’s [...]
Sir Rocco Forte enjoys record pay day after hotels empire deal August 13, 2025 The hotels group founded by Sir Rocco Forte has issued a record dividend for the first full year after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) became a major shareholder. Rocco Forte Hotels has paid out dividends totalling £8.9m for the year to 30 April, 2025, to its shareholders. The international hotels group, which is headquartered in [...]
WPP shares plunge again on halved dividend and strategic review August 7, 2025 Shares in advertising giant WPP dropped by as much as 4.7 per cent on Thursday morning after it revealed it would launch a strategic review and halve its interim dividend amid falling profit and stagnant revenue. The embattled media group, which owns major agencies like global PR shop Burson and creative juggernaut Ogilvy, revealed its [...]