Go-Ahead revenues boosted by commuters taking trains October 27, 2011 BRITISH bus and rail operator Go-Ahead said first-quarter trading rose as drivers turned to public transport to avoid rising motoring costs, although it remained cautious about the medium-term wider economic outlook. Go-Ahead said revenues at its non-London bus unit, which includes services in Oxford and Brighton, were four per cent higher in the period to [...]
Kenmare output lifts revenue October 27, 2011 Kenmare Resources said third-quarter revenue rose strongly from the second quarter mainly on higher production and also helped by increased prices. Ilmenite production was 147,000 tonnes, up five per cent from the second quarter, while output of zircon grew 17 per cent to 11,200 tonnes from its Moma mine in Mozambique.
Aquarius swings into loss October 27, 2011 Aquarius Platinum swung to a quarterly net loss, primarily due to adverse foreign exchange moves, as precious metal production declined on operational problems. It posted a net loss of $91.8m (£56.9m) in the quarter to end September, including a $94.3m foreign exchange loss from inter-company loans, compared with a net profit of $42.4m in the [...]
Statoil net income up 50 per cent October 27, 2011 Norway’s Statoil said yesterday its adjusted net income rose 50 per cent to $2.07bn (£1.28bn) in the third quarter and its production climbed 14 per cent. Statoil said its output rose 14 per cent in the quarter compared with the same period last year, to 1.57m barrels a day. However, the company still expects its [...]
Harry Potter publisher sees profits surge October 27, 2011 HARRY Potter publisher Bloomsbury posted a 52 per cent rise in its first-half profits after sales of ebooks went through the roof. The firm saw digital sales increase by almost six-fold to £2.5m, jumping to 5.5 per cent of the group’s overall sales. Pre-tax profit beat expectations to hit £2.2m for the half, compared with [...]
SPRING’S TIME IS UP AT FUTURE October 27, 2011 STEVIE Spring, the colourful chief executive of publisher Future, yesterday resigned with immediate effect, just months after the company warned on its full-year results and said it would undertake a restructuring. She was joined on the way out by finance director John Bowman. Spring will be replaced by the company’s UK head Mark Wood, while [...]
Hertz drops Dollar Thrifty offer October 27, 2011 Car rental firm Hertz yesterday withdrew its tender offer for shares in US peer Dollar Thrifty Automotive, but said it was still interested in buying its smaller rival if antitrust regulators clear the deal. Hertz cited Dollar Thrifty’s share buyback plans and current market conditions for withdrawing the exchange offer, and said it would reassess [...]
Laird gets a boost from tablets October 27, 2011 Laird, the products developer for wireless and advanced electronics applications, yesterday reported strong revenue growth after bumper demand for tablets and smartphones. However, it said there was a continuing decrease in the PC, notebook and flat screen TV segments. Third quarter revenues from its performance materials and wireless systems divisions were up 18 per cent [...]
Havas sees strong revenue growth October 27, 2011 Paris-based advertising company Havas yesterday reported its strongest organic revenue growth in three years, up more than seven per cent. The group’s third quarter revenue rose five per cent to £339m, with a decline in its home market the only blot in its copybook. Havas, which competes with larger rivals Publicis, WPP and Omnicom, said [...]
Generic rivals knock sales at AstraZeneca October 27, 2011 GENERIC competition and pricing pressures weighed on AstraZeneca’s sales in the third quarter, ahead of a key challenge to its top-selling cholesterol drug Crestor in the US marketplace, it said yesterday. A weaker dollar provided a prop to Britain’s second-biggest drugmaker, with sales at the reported level up four per cent at $8.21bn (£5.8bn), while [...]
