Shire share price soars as it raises full year guidance to “high 30 pc” October 24, 2014 Shire's share price soared this afternoon after the British pharma group posted strong quarterly results, increasing its full year guidance to “the high 30 per cent range”. The group, which acquired ViroPharma in January of this year, reported total revenue growth of 32 per cent for the three months to September 30, reaching $1.6bn [...]
Walking Dead and Mad Man broadcaster AMC Networks buys 49.9 pc of BBC America October 24, 2014 The broadcaster behind The Walking Dead and Mad Men has acquired a 49.9 per cent stake in BBC America. AMC Networks has acquired the stake in BBC Worldwide's US channel – which broadcasts BBC series including Doctor Who, Planet Earth, Top Gear and Luther in the US – for $200m. BBC Worldwide and AMC said [...]
Travelodge gets 200,000 strange requests a year – but which ones are real? October 23, 2014 My mother always used to complain that I treated her house like a hotel, but judging by some of the requests made at the Travelodge chain, I really wasn't trying hard enough. The British business today revealed some of its most bizarre requests made by some of the 17 million guests that stayed at [...]
Tesco’s credit ratings downgraded by two agencies October 23, 2014 Credit agencies Fitch and Moody's have downgraded Tesco's rating – with the latter saying it could be dropped further to junk status depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation into its accounting practices. Moody's has dropped the rating on Tesco from Baa2 to Baa3, while Fitch has dropped it from BBB to BBB-. [...]
Fashion sales dampen retail growth during warm September October 23, 2014 Fashion sales have hampered the wider retail sector in September, with warm weather driving sales down 4.1 per cent year-on-year. Month-on-month that figure was even worse: sales dropped 7.8 per cent between August and September. As a result, the retail sector as a whole saw a 0.3 per cent month-on-month drop, although sales climbed 2.7 [...]
Unilever share price falls as it records lowest growth in five years October 23, 2014 While Dave Lewis is putting out one fire at his new employer Tesco, things back at Unilever are also looking less than rosy. The consumer goods business, where Lewis had worked for 28 years before becoming Tesco chief executive, this morning reported its weakest rate of quarterly sales growth in five years. Underlying [...]
Debenhams share price dips as 21 per cent fall in profits revealed October 23, 2014 Debenhams' share price opened lower this morning, after the retailer revealed a 20.6 per cent fall in pre-tax profit for the last year. Over the 12 months to August 30, the department store chain saw underlying pre-tax profit drop to £110.3m, in line with expectations, while reported pre-tax profit fell 23.9 per cent to [...]
Quindell sees shares soar on contract news October 21, 2014 INSURANCE outsourcer Quindell yesterday saw its share price soar 8.4 per cent, on the back of the news that it had secured a five-year contract with an unnamed “major insurer”. The deal will see Quindell provide telematics technology, devices and associated services to the Canadian top-three business, which has more than three million customers, 1,700 [...]
McDonald’s to restructure after “significant decline” in sales October 21, 2014 McDonald's is planning a major review of its working practices and structure on the back of a “significant decline" in revenues and profit. Revenues fell five per cent to $6.98bn (£3.8bn) for the three months to September 30, with the fast food giant blaming increased competition. Consolidated operating income plummeted 14 per cent to [...]
Quindell share price soars after securing major contract October 21, 2014 Insurance outsourcer Quindell's share price has soared 8.4 per cent today, on the back of the news that it has secured a five-year contract with an unnamed “major insurer”. The deal will see Quindell provide telematics technology, devices and associated services to the Canadian top-three business, which has more than three million customers, 1,700 [...]
