Amazon set to sell groceries July 7, 2010 Ocado’s £1.1bn float was dealt another blow yesterday when internet giant Amazon launched a competing grocery delivery business. Amazon has long toyed with the idea of branching into food delivery, and already does so in the US and Germany, but the timing of the decision heaps pressure on Ocado. Analysts have already questioned the value [...]
Tesco raises £950m from sales July 7, 2010 Tesco, Britain’s largest supermarket chain, has raised £950m after agreeing a sale-and-leaseback arrangement for 41 of its stores. The company said the move was part of its long-term plan to “release value” from its UK real estate portfolio. The deal is structured as a 50/50 joint venture with the trustees of Tesco’s pension fund, and [...]
THE TIPSTER July 7, 2010 GOLD has sold off sharply although rather than the usual risk appetite explanation, fingers are pointing towards central banks offloading the asset to the Bank of International Settlements. However, with the risk a double-dip still looming, there’s no shortage of reasons why the foray below $1,200/ per oz will be short lived. The current IG [...]
NEWS | IN BRIEF July 6, 2010 Billionaire retailer Sir Philip Green said yesterday he was considering opening more retail schools after the success of London’s Fashion Retail Academy. Speaking at the Academy’s 2010 awards ceremony, the Arcadia owner pledged to approach the new coalition government about the possibility of an expansion. Green said: “My aim is to open another two or [...]
M&S readies for investor anger on pay July 4, 2010 A STRONG set of first-quarter figures from retail bellwether Marks and Spencer this week looks set to be overshadowed by animosity at the firm’s annual shareholder meeting, with investors set to clash with executives over the eternally thorny issue of pay. Sir Stuart Rose will officially hand over the chief executive’s reins to ex-Morrisons man [...]
Goldman and TPG close in on Ontex July 4, 2010 GOLDMAN Sach’s private equity wing is close to completing the purchase of nappy-manufacturer Ontex in partnership with American buy-out house TPG for more than €1.2bn (£990m), reports the Sunday Telegraph. The deal to purchase Ontex from Candover nearly collapsed when Goldman Sach’s original equity partner pulled out, but the late addition of TPG has kept [...]
Pick a moment and hold on for property gains June 30, 2010 WITH the trajectory of the UK real estate market far from clear, property investment might seem like a risky business. But many UK property-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETF) have nonetheless seen steady asset inflows in the last year since prices began to recover in 2009. ETFs offer exposure to property without the long-term commitment of buying [...]
Tesco’s accounting methods in spolight June 30, 2010 TESCO yesterday saw its shares dip after Citigroup accused it of “consistently aggressive” accounting. Britain’s biggest grocery chain is using a different method from its rivals on everything from depreciation to pensions, an analyst claimed. Citigroup’s Alastair Johnston said: “If we put Tesco on more comparable accounting to other companies in our sector, it appears [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS June 27, 2010 MARKS & SPENCER UBS maintains a “buy” recommendation for Marks & Spencer and said that it forecasts first quarter like-for-like growth of three per cent in general merchandise and 1.5 per cent in food. UBS said the consensus may be a little higher and that there may be an Easter impact as last year’s first [...]
Ocado to float June 24, 2010 ECHOES of the dotcom bubble returned to the City yesterday, as an online grocery delivery firm that has not turned a profit in 10 years confirmed it will float with an estimated value of £1bn. Ocado said it will seek to raise £200m when it floats this year and expects existing shareholders to cash in [...]