Dr Martens: Shoemaker broadens range of sandals and bags as profit plummets June 5, 2025 Dr Martens has announced a new strategic focus after a bruising year which saw the brand nearly fall into the red. It will move away from a narrow focus on boots to a much broader approach targeting shoes, sandals and bags via a strategy called “Levers for Growth”. “Our ambition is to establish Dr. Martens as the world’s [...]
B&M: Revenue ticks up as new stores outperform June 4, 2025 Discount retailer B&M has reported a bump in its full-year earnings after progress in France and a better-than-anticipated performance at its new stores. The London-listed Luxembourg-headquartered company reported revenue of £5.57bn in the 52 weeks ended March 29, up 3.7 per cent year on year. It said the higher revenue was “primarily driven” by the contribution [...]
Paragon Bank: Stamp duty boost offsets motor finance provision June 4, 2025 Specialist lender Paragon Banking Group bolstered its profit in the first half of the financial year as increased lending managed to offshore a motor finance provision. The FTSE 250 bank’s pre-tax profit surged 26.7 per cent to £149.4m, up from £146.4 in the first half of 2024. This was driven by 4.9 per cent expansion [...]
British American Tobacco ups guidance on US return to growth June 3, 2025 Pall Mall and Lucky Strike owner British American Tobacco (BAT) has said its American business has returned to growth, driven by smokeless products. In a trading update, the company said its combustible products – cigarettes and cigars – are expected to return to growth in the first half of the year, while its nicotine pouches Velo [...]
Natwest returns to private ownership May 30, 2025 Natwest has finally re-entered private ownership ending one of British banking’s longest-running sagas. The government sold off its remaining 0.26 per cent stake in the group on Friday marking a full exit from the lender. The Treasury’s share of the FTSE 100 lender dates back to the 2008 financial crisis. Natwest, then under the Royal [...]
Barclays and HSBC shares jump after Trump’s legal blow May 29, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 banking giants rallied on Thursday after President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda was dealt a blow from the courts. Barclays and HSBC climbed over one per cent to 328.05p and 874.50p, while Standard Chartered jumped nearly two per cent to 1,158.00p. This came as the US Court of International Trade declared Trump’s [...]
Ghost Ship producer Adnams slashes losses May 29, 2025 Ghost Ship producer Adnams has halved its operating loss amid a commercial turnaround plan, although retail sales continue to suffer. The Suffolk-based company, which makes cask ale, bottled beers and spirits, said that sales increased three per cent to £68.1m in the 12 months ended December 31. Its operating loss shrank by more than half, [...]
Premier Miton: Asset manager faces tariff strain May 29, 2025 AIM-listed fund manager Premier Miton recorded a drop in its assets for the first half of the financial year, citing “investor caution, particularly toward UK and European equity strategies”. The firm’s assets under management dropped to £10.2bn, compared to £10.7bn in September 2024. Net outflows jumped to £254m, a sharp increase from £46m for the same [...]
AIM to shed billions as market projected to shrink by a fifth May 28, 2025 London’s junior stock market is set to deepen its listing crisis as it heads towards its 30th birthday. The alternative investment market (AIM) is projected to have £12.3bn of market capitalisation, after 61 companies announced plans to ditch their listing. A combination of mergers, private equity takeovers, delistings in favour of private securities venues and [...]
HSBC cuts more investment bank roles in latest European retreat May 27, 2025 HSBC has reportedly given more than two dozen analysts in its investment banking division the chop as the bank’s boss presses on with his sweeping overhaul. The firm’s cuts primarily focused on Europe, where the lender has continuously signalled a winding down of operations. The banking juggernaut slashed ten per cent of its work force [...]