How Heck! sausage mogul rejected yachting career to captain family business September 6, 2024 Following a rocky five years which saw sausage maker Heck plummet into the red, the 33-year-old entrepreneur at the helm of the family business said growth is finally on the horizon. From a pre-tax profit of almost £722,000 in its 2018 financial year, in 2021 the brand, which is headquartered on a 500-acre farm deep [...]
Next 15 shares plummet 50 per cent after major client exits contract September 6, 2024 Shares in digital communications firm Next 15 have plummeted by 50 per cent today after the business announced one of its biggest clients would not be renewing its contract. The London-listed company, which provides B2B marketing services, said its venture building division Mach49 was set to be down £80m in revenue in its 2026 financial [...]
Gear4music hits all the right notes to drive sales growth September 6, 2024 The online musical instrument retailer Gear4music, which saw its share price skyrocket last month after it swung back into profit, said it was on track to generate revenue of more than £150m in 2025. The London-listed company, which is headquartered in York, said at its annual general meeting today it would announce it was trading [...]
Thomas Cook snapped up by Polish tech firm in £30m buyout September 5, 2024 British travel agency Thomas Cook has been acquired by a Polish tech firm, marking its return to Europe after spending four years under Chinese ownership. The acquisition by eSky, a Katowice-headquartered search engine and reservation system provider for airlines, will see its current owner, Fosun, hand over all but the Chinese arm of the business [...]
More than 750 jobs at risk as Bakkavor set to axe major UK factory September 5, 2024 More than 750 jobs are at risk at the fresh food maker Bakkavor after the London-listed group said it would close one of its North West factories. The company, which is headquartered in London, said today it was looking at axing its Wigan facility after a review revealed it would need “significant investment” to continue [...]
ABF: Primark owner powers through footfall slump to deliver solid growth September 5, 2024 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported a “significant improvement in profitability” despite a rainy summer threatening to dampen sales. The London-listed firm, which also owns Twinings Tea and a raft of food businesses, said it expected to see increased sales across its retail, grocery and ingredients divisions during its second half ending September [...]
Currys: AI push drives laptop sales surge as retailer nabs nearly 50 per cent of UK market September 5, 2024 Tech retailer Currys has reported a strong start to the year, crediting its “early adoption” of AI products for taking almost half of the UK’s laptop market. The London-listed company, headquartered in Acton, saw its like for like sales in the UK and Ireland grow by five per cent in the 17 weeks ending August [...]
UK property equity surges to new record as house prices recover with falling rates September 4, 2024 The value of the UK’s property equity is higher than ever before having surged to almost £6 trillion, new research has revealed. The study by the Equity Release Council calculated that recovering house prices helped to increase the figure to an “unprecedented” £5.7 trillion in the three months ending June 30, 2024. This was up [...]
John Lewis: £80m plans create new homes at site in Elizabeth Line-linked Reading September 4, 2024 The John Lewis Partnership has submitted plans to transform one of its disused warehouses in Reading into an £80m residential complex featuring more than 200 rental units. The plans, which were submitted to Reading Borough Council this week, lay out the company’s vision to demolish the current structure and replace it with 215 homes, plus 6,000 [...]
Pinewood Technologies strikes deal with AI firm to bolster US expansion September 4, 2024 Pinewood Technologies, formerly known as Pendragon, has entered into an advanced subscription agreement with Seez, known for its automotive AI tech, it announced today. Under the terms of the agreement, Pinewood Technologies, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, said it had agreed to invest $4.2m (£3.2m) as part of a minority investment round. The [...]
