Hirai moves closer to top role at Sony March 10, 2011 Kazuo Hirai looks set to realise his ambition of taking control of iconic Japanese giant Sony when chief executive Howard Stringer steps aside after being promoted to second in charge. The former head of the firm’s gaming division will now oversee the entire consumer division, which makes up the bulk of Sony’s seven trillion yen [...]
Playtech earnings up after buys March 10, 2011 Playtech, the world’s biggest provider of online gaming software, posted a 10 per cent rise in 2010 profit and said it had acquired a group of software services businesses to drive its growth in regulated markets. Estonia-based Playtech yesterday reported adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of €103m (£87m) for 2010, helped [...]
Computacenter sees profit lift March 10, 2011 Computacenter posted 22 per cent higher full-year profit yesterday after its main corporate customers resumed spending on upgrading their IT infrastructure after a lull during the economic downturn. The company, which counts Gatwick Airport and Volkswagen among its customers, posted adjusted pre-tax profit of £66.1m on revenue up 11 per cent to £2.68bn, resulting in [...]
RTL Group optimistic on growth March 10, 2011 European commercial broadcaster RTL Group shied away from giving an outlook for this year but said it was optimistic about the TV industry’s growth potential. “Despite the fact that TV profited more strongly than other media from the economic recovery in 2010, it is not possible to give reliable full-year guidance for 2011 at this [...]
Tognum could hold out for improved bid March 10, 2011 ENGINE-MAKER and takeover target Tognum posted a 31 per cent rise in adjusted net profit to €159.2m yesterday, helping to highlight questions about Rolls Royce and Daimler’s €3.2bn (£2.75bn) joint offer plans. Tognum’s management is hoping for Rolls and Daimler to raise their €24 per share bid, according to sources yesterday. “Everyone would be satisfied [...]
AGGREKO FORECAST SPARKS SELL-OFF March 10, 2011 POWER generator firm Aggreko, which supplies Glastonbury and the 2012 Olympics, saw its shares lose 6.7 per cent yesterday after it forecast flat revenues in 2011 following a bumper year. Chief executive Rupert Soames said: “On even years you get a big year for events, and every odd year you are basically down to the [...]
DS Smith expects solid growth March 10, 2011 Packaging and office products company DS Smith forecast the year to progress in line with expectations yesterday, but warned that the fourth-quarter could see a further increase in input costs. However, the producer of recycled packaging, whose customers include Procter & Gamble and Nestle, said it was confident about the remainder of the year despite [...]
Funeral plans boost Dignity March 10, 2011 Dignity, the UK’s only listed funeral firm, posted an 11 per cent increase in underlying full-year pre-tax profit to £40.4m yesterday, citing a strong trading performance, and said it was confident of its 2011 prospects. Revenues rose eight per cent to £199.1m during 2010, helping to fund a 10 per cent final dividend hike to [...]
Wolseley nears Bathstore sale March 10, 2011 Private equity group Electra has reportedly entered exclusive talks with builders’ merchant Wolseley about buying its Bathstore retail chain. Bathstore, which has more than 150 shops across the UK, is expected to sell for around £90m. Electra, which declined to comment, beat private equity group LDS and Change Capital Partners to secure exclusive talks, according [...]
UK industrial growth set to thrive in 2011 March 10, 2011 BRITISH manufacturing started 2011 with a bang, growing at its fastest annualised rate for over 16 years, official data showed yesterday. The UK’s booming sector has now expanded for 12 months in a row, up 6.8 per cent in January, compared to the same time last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). [...]
