Weather or not to stock – AI aims to shelter UK business from the classic (wet) British summer Tech A chilly spring, a sluggish UK economy and hard-pressed household budgets at a time of rising interest rates have combined to put a national talking point – the weather – into the spotlight in the City. Seasonal trends, or the lack of them, can make or break trading at retailers and hospitality companies. Disruption from [...]
Tesco beats Clubcard copycats to claim loyalty scheme crown Retail Tesco’s beloved Clubcard has triumphed against rivals Sainsbury’s and Greggs to be named the country’s most valued loyalty scheme. The supermarket giant’s Clubcard is the UK’s most effective, according to an index by software firm HyperFinity which polled Brits on the value, customer satisfaction and rewards offered by loyalty schemes at more than 50 retailers. [...]
Wickes profit doubles as DIY firm bets on solar Retail Home improvement retailer Wickes has doubled its profit as the firm positions itself to become a leader in solar panel installation. The firm took revenue of £1.6bn, up six per cent, and pre-tax profit grew from £23m to £49m, in the year to December 2025. Wickes was promoted to the FTSE 250 last year, as [...]
Retailers’ woes stretch into second day after bearish Deutsche note August 27, 2025 A sell-off affecting some of the UK’s largest retailers has extended into a second day, after an analyst warned the spectre of higher taxes in the Autumn Budget, a softening labour market and sticky inflation will dent consumers’ spending habits. Shares in AB Foods, Wickes and B&Q-owner Kingfisher all shed between one and 1.5 per [...]
Wickes jumps up to FTSE 250 as National Express owner axed June 5, 2025 Wickes is set to be promoted to the FTSE 250 amid a reshuffle by the London Stock Exchange, while firms such as Mobico, the owner of National Express, and Ferrexpo are expected to be relegated. Wickes has entered the index after its stock price has soared 35 per cent in the last three months, launching [...]
DIY sales support Wickes as big-ticket items still off the table March 20, 2025 Wickes has reported another drop in big-ticket home improvement sales as Brits continue to shy away from large purchases. The company also announced a new share buyback programme of £20m, which will start in April 2025. The retailer reported a one per cent drop in revenue in the year ended December 28, from £1.5bn last [...]
Wickes: Share price jumps as recovery gets underway January 28, 2025 Wickes has reported an uptick in the revenue for the second half of the year, driven by small retail purchases and lower losses in its installation segment. The company’s share rose more than 10 per cent in early trades. Revenue at the home improvement firm rose by 1.8 per cent in the six months ending [...]
Wickes returns to growth but warns pent up DIY demand is easing October 22, 2024 Home improvement firm Wickes reported it had returned to growth over the summer today but warned its sales were likely to wane as pent up DIY demand eases in the coming months. The London-listed retailer reported a 2.1 per cent growth in revenue, or 0.4 per cent on like-for-like metrics, with retail revenue growing by [...]
Wickes profit down by almost a quarter as sector struggles September 10, 2024 Profit at British DIY and home improvement retailer Wickes fell by almost a quarter over the past six months as sales slowed across the entire home improvement market. The London-listed company, which is headquartered in Watford, reported an adjusted pre-tax profit of £23.4m during the six months ending 29 June, 2024, down just under 25 [...]
Wickes: Brits still holding back on big-ticket items as DIY goods preferred July 31, 2024 Wickes reported a mixed set of results for the half of the year, with consumers still unwilling to spend on big-ticket items but happy to buy DIY retail goods. Overall group sales fell by 3.4 per cent in the 26 weeks to June 29 at the London-listed company. Revenue in the second quarter fell by [...]