Vodafone growth boost as UK merger with Three starts to pay off July 24, 2025 Vodafone reported a solid start to its financial year, with growth in revenue and profits underpinned by the recent completion of its UK merger with Three, now consolidated into its results. The deal has created the UK’s largest mobile operator and delivered a double-digit boost to local revenues in the first quarter. “We are making [...]
Reckitt sells majority stake in Air Wick and Cillit Bang arm July 18, 2025 Reckitt Benckiser has agreed to sell its Essential Home business to private equity investor Advent International for $4.8bn (£3.6bn). Essential Home includes the brands Air Wick, Calgon, Woolite and Cillit Bang. The FTSE 100 giant, which will retain a 30 per cent equity stake in the business, has been reshaping its business to focus on “11 high-growth, high-margin [...]
Ocado shares spike as grocer boosted by £750m M&S joint venture gain July 17, 2025 Online grocer Ocado has reported significant growth in the first half of 2025, while stating its major goal is to turn cash-flow positive next year. Its share price spiked more than 13 per cent in early trades. Ocado told markets this morning that revenue rose 13.2 per cent to £674m, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation [...]
B&M’s shares drop despite hints of turnaround from new CEO July 15, 2025 B&M has reported a strong set of results under its new CEO after a tough year and a half marked by supply chain issues. But its share price still plunged by 13 per cent in early trades, pulled down by concerns about margin pressures like price deflation and cost inflation. The FTSE 250 company told [...]
Galliford Try ‘well-positioned’ to benefit from government spending July 9, 2025 Galliford Try has stated that it “welcomes” the government’s ambitions for affordable housing and infrastructure and expects to report a profit ahead of expectations this year. The construction giant, which has 4,300 employees across the UK, operates across the public and regulated sectors – including water, transport and building projects. The company told markets it [...]
Watches of Switzerland: Trump tariffs spark hike luxury timepiece prices July 3, 2025 Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) has warned scores of its products in America will see price increases due to Trump’s 10 per cent tariff on non-US goods. Its share price fell more than five per cent in early trades. The London-listed company, which sells luxury timepieces from Patek Philippe, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet – amongst [...]
Greggs: Shares crater as sweltering June set to hit profit July 2, 2025 Greggs has said it expects to report lower annual profit than last year as scorching temperatures in June impacted sales. The company told markets this morning that total sales in the first half of the year grew 6.9 per cent to £1.3bn, although like-for-like sales grew just 2.6 per cent. Shares fell by more than [...]
Sunny spring boosts sales at Sainbury’s July 1, 2025 Sainsbury’s has reported a boost in fresh food sales this spring despite growing competition in the UK’s supermarket sector. The FTSE 100 company said that overall sales grew 4.9 per cent in the 16 weeks to June 21, ahead of the market. Grocery sales grew 4.9 per cent, while non-food sales grew 4.2 per cent. [...]
Ibstock hikes brick production as UK construction market picks up June 11, 2025 Brick manufacturer Ibstock has reinstated production capacity at several factories, providing a boost to Britain’s building materials shortage. The move is a bet on the building market’s recovery, with higher production capacity ensuring the company is “well placed to benefit from the recovery as it gathers pace.” Ibstock, which holds a 40 per cent share of the [...]
Fuller’s toasts stellar year as Brits flock to pubs June 11, 2025 Hospitality giant Fuller, Smith & Turner has become the latest UK pub chain to report a stellar year of trading as Brits continue to head to pubs despite financial constraints. The FTSE 250 company told markets this morning that revenue rose 4.8 per cent to £376.3m in the 52 weeks to March 29. Like for [...]