Profit more than doubles at Flight Centre thanks to pick-up in business travel August 28, 2024 A surge in the number of corporate flights taking off helped Flight Centre Travel Group’s pre-tax profit more than double during its latest financial year. The Australian-headquartered group delivered a AU$320m (£164.42m) in underlying profit before tax for 2024, a 131 per cent year-on-year increase and at the mid-point of Flight Centre’s guidance range. The [...]
UK-Germany: No post-Brexit youth mobility scheme but defence deal at ‘heart’ of treaty August 28, 2024 A new UK-Germany treaty will have a fresh defence agreement “at its heart”, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he insisted there are no “plans” for a youth mobility scheme. The Prime Minister spoke at the German chancellery in Berlin alongside Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a press conference to announce the launch of talks for [...]
The name’s bond. Savings bond. But most Brits still think of 007 August 28, 2024 The majority of Brits are more likely to associate the word ‘bond’ with fictional spy James Bond over the savings product. A survey of over 2,000 Brits revealed that 70 per cent of Brits associated ‘bond’ with the secret agent, according to new data from Moneyfarm. This trend was consistent across genders, though 41 percent [...]
Victoria Beckham’s beauty brand bucks luxury fashion downturn again August 28, 2024 Victoria Beckham’s eponymous beauty brand has reported its third consecutive year of double-digit growth, bucking the trend of much of the luxury market. Its positive results came after it clambered out of the red in 2022 for the first time since its inception in 2008, despite a tough industry. Total revenue rose by 52 per [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group snaps up stake in Australian retail group August 28, 2024 Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has continued its acquisition spree with a strategic investment into the Australian retail and distribution firm Accent. The London-listed retail empire snapped up a 14.65 per cent stake in the company in a move it hopes will further its footprint in Australia and New Zealand – identified as a key market [...]
Oasis world tour: Ticketing companies set for Champagne Supernova August 28, 2024 Ticketing companies are set for a Champagne Supernova of demand as legendary English rock band Oasis has officially reunited after a 15-year hiatus. The iconic Mancunian brothers, Noel and Liam Gallagher, who famously parted ways after a heated backstage bust-up in Paris back in 2009, have set aside their long-running feud to make an on-stage [...]
Platform Housing: Turnover up as investment in existing homes trumps construction of new ones August 28, 2024 Platform Housing Group has reported a strong start to the year, although the rate of new-build homes has fallen with the focus shifting to improving social rented properties. Turnover at the company grew by 14.8 per cent to £92.3m in the three months to June 2024, up from £80.4m in June 2023, with 95 per [...]
Seeing Machines: Revenue accelerates but losses mount as transition drags August 28, 2024 Driver monitoring technology company Seeing Machines has reported an expected revenue of $67.6m (£51.1m) for its financial year 2024, marking a 17 per cent jump from $57.8m (£43.7m) reported for 2023. Annualised recurring revenue climbed 11 per cent year-on-year to $15.1m (£11.4m) from $13.6m (£10.3m) the previous year. The company’s technology is now deployed in [...]
Wood Group: Firm offloads two businesses as ‘strategic’ turnaround begins August 28, 2024 Engineer Wood Group has sold two businesses for a total of $165m (£125m) after it revealed it slid into the red in the first half of the year. The London-listed firm, which is headquartered in Aberdeen, said today it has sold its stake in Ethos Energy Group, a joint venture with its partner, Siemens Energy [...]
Focusrite: Music tech firm’s bottom line hit by shipping and logistical woes August 28, 2024 Shares in UK-based music software company Focusrite plunged 16.7 per cent after it reported that, while demand for its products remains strong, shipping and logistics challenges are squeezing its bottom line. Revenue is expected to come in around £157m, in line with current market expectations, as overall demand for its suite of audio tech products [...]