Bumper year for private equity as deals soar 257 per cent January 26, 2021 The number of UK listed companies taken private by private equity firms jumped from seven to 25 in private equity boom year. The total value of UK listed companies taken private by private equity firms increased from £2.3bn to £21.1bn in 12 months to 30 September 2020, research compiled by BDO has found. The audit [...]
Clean slate: Dettol-maker Reckitt Benckiser withdraws $1.4bn claim against Indivior January 25, 2021 Reckitt Benckiser will withdraw a $1.4bn claim against Indivior, which in turn will pay the Dettol-maker $50m to end the legal battle related to a US probe into opioid addition. The settlement, which will be paid over five years, offers some respite to the London-listed drugmaker, which was once owned by Reckitt. Reckitt and [...]
GameStop shares up 60 per cent in Reddit-driven tug of war January 25, 2021 Shares of US videogame retailer GameStop were up 60 per cent today, as online traders who appeared to congregate on Reddit continued to cause the stock price to rocket. Shares in GameStop are up 250 per cent so far this year, which has been attributed to short-sellers quickly buying back into the stock to cover [...]
PwC employee killed in car accident while out jogging January 25, 2021 Jack Ryan, who was a senior digital marketing manager at PwC, was struck by a car and killed while out jogging earlier this month. Ryan was hit at Battersea Bridge by an individual driving a Range Rover on 13 January, the Birmingham Mail first reported. Medics tried to save Ryan, but the 29-year-old was pronounced [...]
Self-employed given extra month to file tax return fine-free January 25, 2021 HMRC will not levy a late fine on those who file their tax return by 28 February 2021. The deadline to submit a self-assessment tax return is usually 31 January, and late penalties are usually applied to all returns filed after the deadline. HMRC chief executive Jim Harra said scrapping late fees until the end [...]
EY to slash business travel to hit net zero target by 2025 January 25, 2021 EY would like to be “carbon negative” in 2021, and hopes to achieve net zero at the firm by 2025, in a push to play a role in tackling climate change. The Big Four firm said its ambition to become carbon neutral underscored its commitment to the environment and to tackling “one of the most [...]
London still in first place for financial and professional services January 22, 2021 London continues to hold the top spot for financial and professional services when compared with other major cities, a report by the City of London Corporation has found. The research, which took 91 different metrics for success into account, found that, while other major centres may lead on some measures, London and the UK have [...]
Did fewer Christmas parties drive an end of year boom at Keystone Law? January 21, 2021 Keystone Law was surprised by a better than expected Christmas period this year, and is now expecting to report profit before tax of above market expectations. Full year revenues to 30 Jan 2020 were £49.6m, and analysts at Panmure Gordon are now anticipating FY21 revenues of £55m for the law firm, which will issue its [...]
Third lockdown ‘far more challenging this time around’ for auditors January 21, 2021 The timing of England’s third national lockdown has posed new and more difficult challenges for audit firms to overcome, that could see annual results delayed or even qualified. With lockdown rules urging people to stay home to stop the spread of coronavirus, auditors are struggling to physically carry out necessary tasks to perform an audit. [...]
Ladbrokes owner Entain names Jette Nygaard-Andersen as first female boss January 21, 2021 Jette Nygaard-Andersen has been named the new CEO at sport-betting and gaming group Entain, becoming the first female chief executive of a major listed UK gambling firm. Outgoing CEO Shay Segev will remain available to Nygaard-Andersen until 8 July to facilitate an orderly transition. Rob Wood, Entain’s chief financial officer, will have the role of [...]
