JD Sports: Revenue hits record as US expansion pays off October 2, 2024 JD Sports has reported record revenue in the first half of the year after a pick-up in sales and the acquisition of American retailer Hibbett. Revenue at the retailer reached just over £5bn in the 26 weeks to 3 August 2024, up by 5.2 per cent year on year. Profit before tax rose by two [...]
New tips law welcomed but it could cause a headache for hospitality bosses October 1, 2024 A new tipping law, which has made it illegal for companies to withhold tips from employees, has been welcomed by workers and industry bodies but could lead to a headache for employers. Until today, firms were able to choose whether to keep tips made on card, or whether to pass the earnings on to employees. [...]
The Works: Arts and crafts retailer’s profit slumped as demand stayed soft October 1, 2024 High street arts and craft retailer The Works has reported weaker sales in 2024, leading to a slump in profit. Adjusted earning before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell by 30 per cent to £6m, from £9m last year, while adjusted profit before tax fell 39 per cent to £3.2m, from £5.3m in 2023. The [...]
Mulberry rejects Frasers £83m offer as too low October 1, 2024 British luxury brand Mulberry has rejected a possible takeover from minority shareholder Frasers Group on the grounds that it doesn’t recognise the company’s future value and will not lead the group back to profit. Frasers announced a possible takeover bid yesterday, 30 September, after it was snubbed from Mulberry’s £10m capital raise with majority shareholder [...]
Greggs delivers success once again as evening trade boosts sales October 1, 2024 High street bakery Greggs has reported another quarter of strong sales growth, fueled by new products and extended evening opening hours. The sausage-roll maker told markets this morning that total sales rose by 10.6 per cent in the third quarter of 2024, with like-for-like sales up five per cent. This growth was “supported by menu [...]
Next boss Lord Wolfson sells £29m of stock in the high street bellwether September 29, 2024 Next’s chief executive has sold £29m worth of shares in the FTSE 100 fashion and homeware store. Lord Wolfson of Aspley Guise sold around 290,000 shares, leaving him with 950,000 shares worth £100m, Next told markets on Friday. News of the sale sent Next’s share price down 3.5 per cent, although it’s risen by 21.24 [...]
Card Factory shares plummet despite first interim dividend in five years and ‘resilient’ results September 24, 2024 Shares in personalised gift and party supply business Card Factory have slumped despite the return of its interim dividend after a revenue boost. The company announced the recommencement of an interim dividend of 1.2p, “demonstrating commitment to delivering progressive returns to shareholders”. However, its share price fell by nearly 20 per cent in early trades. The [...]
Next: Closures on the horizon if court rejects appeal. What is in store for the retail giant? September 22, 2024 Fashion retailer Next lost a major legal battle last month over unequal pay in its UK operations. Now, it has been revealed that if it loses its appeal, it will have to close some of its stores
Retail sales smash expectations despite a drop in consumer confidence September 20, 2024 Retail sales in the UK blew past expectations in August, climbing to their highest level since July 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Sales were up one per cent compared to the previous month, beating analysts’ predictions of a 0.4 per cent rise. The increase builds on July’s return to growth, which [...]
Newriver REIT raises £50m for Capital & Regional bid September 19, 2024 Local shopping centre owner Newriver REIT has successfully raised over £50m via a share issue to fund its bid of peer Capital & Regional. On Wednesday, Newriver REIT announced a possible cash and share offer for Capital & Regional, which would create a shared property portfolio of £890m. At the same time, Newriver announced the [...]