Dixons Carphone cuts 800 jobs in store management restructure August 4, 2020 Dixons Carphone has announced it will slash 800 roles as part of a store management restructuring plan. The retailer, which owns Carphone Warehouse and Currys PC World, said the job cuts were part of a plan to create “one joined up business”. The announcement brings the number of job losses announced this week to 3,600, [...]
Easyjet to expand flight schedule due to demand for holidays August 4, 2020 Budget airline Easyjet is preparing to expand its flight schedule over the summer to cater for higher than expected demand. The company’s share price soared more than 10 per cent this morning after it said it will fly at around 40 per cent of capacity over the summer following “better than expected” bookings. Previously it [...]
Diageo shares drop as profit almost halves amid coronavirus crisis August 4, 2020 Shares in Guinness owner Diageo fell more than five per cent this morning after the drinks giant revealed that profit almost halved this year. The figures Diageo said this morning that operating profit in the year ended 30 June fell 47 per cent from £4.04bn to £2.13bn. Net sales dropped nine per cent from £12.86bn [...]
Pizza Express plans to close 67 restaurants, putting 1,100 jobs at risk August 4, 2020 Pizza Express is planning to close 67 UK restaurants due to the coronavirus pandemic, putting 1,100 jobs at risk, as the casual dining chain put itself up for sale. The company announced this morning that it will launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in the “near future”. The CVA proposals would see the group close [...]
AA attracts rival bids from private equity firms August 4, 2020 Driving association the AA confirmed this morning that it is in talks with three private equity firms over a potential sale. Centerbridge Partners Europe an Towerbrook Capital Partners, acting jointly, have approached the firm. Platinum Equity Advisors and Warburg Pincus have separately approached AA with possible cash offers for the company. “The potential offerors have [...]
Gym chain DW Sports collapses into administration, putting 1,700 jobs at risk August 3, 2020 Gym chain and sportswear retailer DW Sports has collapsed into administration, putting 1,700 jobs at risk. DW Sports, which will appoint administrators today, has closed 25 of its 75 stores and has ceased trading through its website immediately. The remaining 50 retail sites will continue to trade, but will move into closing down sales from [...]
Government extends Help to Buy scheme due to lockdown delays August 3, 2020 The government has extended the Help to Buy scheme due to construction delays during the coronavirus pandemic. The deadline for homes to have been finished in order to comply with the equity loan scheme has been extended from this December to 28 February next year. The cut-off date for legal completion of the sale is [...]
Estate agent Purplebricks reports record-breaking July instructions August 3, 2020 Estate agent Purplebricks recorded its highest ever month for instructions in the UK in July due to the stamp duty holiday and pent-up demand following the coronavirus lockdown. Shares in the company jumped 4.59 per cent this morning after it announced that it listed a record-breaking 7,000 homes in July. The figures Purplebricks this morning [...]
Hammerson pins hopes on ‘£800m’ raise to survive crisis August 3, 2020 Retail landlord Hammerson is considering tapping investors for up to £600m in a bid to shore up its finances during the coronavirus crisis. Hammerson, which owns Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre and Brent Cross in north London, also confirmed that it is in advanced talks to sell its 50 per cent stake in Via Outlets to [...]
HSBC profit plummets due to coronavirus pandemic August 3, 2020 HSBC warned warned its bad debt charges could soar to $13bn this year as the bank reported a sharp drop in profit in the first half of 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The figures The lender’s share price fell 4.63 per cent to 326.25p this morning as it announced that profit [...]