Income drops at Everything Everywhere July 25, 2012 BRITAIN’S biggest mobile operator Everything Everywhere saw income fall in the first half of the year as the Orange and T-Mobile owner invested in retaining customers and upgrading networks. Adjusted earnings decreased slightly to £673m, as revenues from calls and other services fell 1.8 per cent to £2.99bn due to an Ofcom-ordered cap on charges. [...]
Countrywide revenues grow July 25, 2012 Countrywide, the UK’s largest estate agency and property services group, will today announce that it has grown total revenues by 10 per cent in the last 12 months. The firm has made £20m on a year-to-date basis before tax and other factors are taken in account, on total income of £257m. The company expects the [...]
FirstGroup speeds up disposals July 25, 2012 FirstGroup yesterday said it is trading as expected, as it plans to speed up its shake-up of its UK bus operations. The transport group is selling off parts of its bus business to focus on faster-growing markets. All resolutions passed at the firm’s shareholder meeting yesterday, in spite of analyst grumbles about chairman Martin Gilbert’s [...]
Big Ben to ring in Olympics for record attempt July 25, 2012 PLANNING to bask in the evening sunshine with a few post-work drinks tonight? You might want to think twice before turning it into a serious session as the hungover will be in for the mother of all rude awakenings tomorrow morning. To mark the official start of the London 2012 Olympics Big Ben wil ring [...]
Visa boosted by increase in card spending July 25, 2012 CREDIT and debit card network Visa last night announced strong income growth as increasing numbers of people across the globe pay for goods using plastic. Adjusted net income rose 10 per cent to $1.1bn (£700m) for the third quarter, ahead of Wall Street expectations. Shares in the firm were up 1.5 per cent in after-hours trading. But [...]
Marston’s says Jubilee cheer helped offset rain as sales rise July 25, 2012 MARSTON’S raised a glass to a successful Diamond Jubilee weekend as the pub and brewing company posted a 2.2 per cent rise in third-quarter sales at its managed pubs. The group, which has around 2,150 managed, tenanted and franchised pubs, described its performance in recent weeks as “satisfactory” in spite of the wet weather dampening [...]
Brit Land buys Mayfair estate July 25, 2012 BRITISH LAND revealed yesterday it has acquired the Clarges Estate on Piccadilly for £130m from the low profile Latvian Sebba family. The group plans to develop the entire site opposite the Ritz and Green Park in Mayfair, into a 200,000 square feet scheme with shops, offices and luxury flats. The whole site will be worth [...]
Demand soars for Renishaw July 25, 2012 SHARES in British engineering company Renishaw soared 16 per cent yesterday as the firm reported a five per cent rise in full-year profit, helped by strong demand for its precision measuring products across its markets. Renishaw, which makes measuring and inspection equipment for the metrology and healthcare industries, reported revenue of £103.1m for the fourth [...]
CATERPILLAR RAISES PROFIT FORECASTS July 25, 2012 CATERPILLAR, the world’s largest maker of construction equipment, raised its 2012 profit forecast yesterday and said the global economy was slowly improving amid pockets of weakness. For the second quarter, Caterpillar reported a profit of $1.67bn, or $2.54 per share, compared with $1.02bn, or $1.52 per share, a year earlier.
Heathrow is ready for record Olympics traffic July 25, 2012 AIRPORT owner BAA said it was ready for record-breaking traffic at Heathrow expected today, while boss Colin Matthews trumpeted the firm’s investment in the hub as vital for the British economy. BAA spent close to £550m in improving Heathrow in the first half of the year – and the firm plans to spend a further [...]
