Banks are back: How the UK’s banking sector got its mojo back as dividend payments rise March 26, 2015 The UK’s banks are back on form and could be the best place to invest for good and growing dividends. British banks such as Lloyds, HSBC and Barclays were once the best places to invest for solid dividends. Ten years ago, banks provided a quarter of all dividends in the UK market, according to figures [...]
Hilton Food Group ups dividend payout after year of expansion March 25, 2015 SPECIALIST meat packing company Hilton Food Group announced a 4.3 per cent increase in its dividend for 2014, as pre-tax profit grew slightly. The group’s profit was up 1.3 per cent, from £24.9m in 2013 to £25.2m last year. Revenue was down by 2.3 per cent, from £1.13bn to £1.1bn. The firm, which operates in [...]
Philip Clarke just left Tesco – again March 25, 2015 Eh up. Anyone got a sense of deja vu? Tesco has announced chief executive Philip Clarke had decided to step down, retiring after 40 years in the job. The revelation left supermarket-watchers confused – surely Clarke has already departed, to be replaced by former Unilever man "call me Dave" Lewis? Clarke left the supermarket under a [...]
Morrisons new chief shelves old exec team March 24, 2015 MORRISONS new chief executive David Potts has wasted little time in overhauling the beleaguered supermarket chain as he turfed out five of its senior managers yesterday. Potts, who only took the top job at the Bradford-based retailer last week, said he plans to simplify and speed up the business by building a “leaner senior management [...]
Tesco faces US lawsuits over profit scandal March 24, 2015 A GROUP of angry shareholders are launching a lawsuit against Tesco and seeking billions of pounds in compensation over last year’s accounting scandal that led to a huge black hole in profits. Tesco has suffered one of the most turbulent years in its history following revelations at the end of last year it overstated profits [...]
City Moves for 25 March 2015 | Who’s switching jobs March 24, 2015 UK Export Finance The export credit agency has appointed Margaret Eyres as head of direct lending. She was formerly head of export finance UK at Societe Generale. Eyres has 25 years’ experience in trade services, trade finance, and export finance, and has also held roles at Midland Bank International and ABN Amro. Panmure Gordon The [...]
Five Morrisons execs leave as Potts swings axe March 24, 2015 Five members of Morrisons' management team are on the way out, after new boss David Potts swung his axe. Group customer marketing and digital director Nick Collard, group retail director Martyn Fletcher, group property and strategy director Gordon Mowat, group logistics director Neal Austin and convenience managing director Nigel Robertson are all leaving. "I will [...]
Tesco share price edges down as investors prepare new legal claim over profits mis-statement March 24, 2015 Tesco's share price fell 0.5 per cent this morning as it emerged a group of investors were preparing a legal challenge for compensation over its profits mis-statement. The shareholders have hired a litigation specialist to seek compensation following a fall in the company's share price after management revealed a £250m black hole in its profits, [...]
McDonald’s UK chief exec quits to join Halfords March 23, 2015 MCDONALD’S UK chief executive Jill McDonald is to leave her namesake after taking the top job at Halfords, the bikes-to-car parts retailer. McDonald joined the American fast food chain in 2006 as chief marketing officer before being promoted to UK chief executive and president of its Northern Europe region in 2010. Her departure comes less [...]
Tesco’s Patrick Cescau is latest to quit in boardroom shake-up March 23, 2015 PATRICK Cescau, Tesco’s senior non-executive director who led the search for the supermarket’s new chairman, will become the latest to leave next month in an ongoing shake-up of its board and management team. Cescau, who was at one point seen as a candidate for the chairman role himself, helped recruit Barratt boss John Allan to [...]