Walgreens faces losing billions on Boots sale as former suitors CVC and Bain suggest lower price tag April 11, 2022 The US pharmacy giant behind Boots could lose out on billions after the chemist was valued much lower than initially hoped. Walgreens has been eyeing a £7bn sale of the UK company, however a consortium involving private equity firms CVC and Bain withdrew from takeover talks in March. According to The Telegraph, the two former [...]
Asda chair hammers government for ‘tin eared’ response to cost of living crisis April 3, 2022 The government has delivered a “tin-eared and slow” response to the UK’s cost of living crisis, according to the chair of Asda. Tory peer Lord Stuart Rose said chancellor Rishi Sunak should put together a new package to ease the pain of soaring costs for households, adding that “the main problem that the government has [...]
Egg farmers: Supermarkets must raise prices by 40p to avert sector crisis March 31, 2022 Egg farmers have called on supermarkets to up the price of a dozen eggs by 40p as producers face cost pressures. Many free range egg farmers are bleeding cash on every egg laid by one of their hens, according to the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA). Shoppers in the UK were unable to [...]
Walgreens: Profit hit after sales dip at US pharmacies while Boots enjoys sales rebound March 31, 2022 Walgreens Boots Alliance has taken a dent to its quarterly profit while its UK drugstores have enjoyed a sales bounce back. Drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc WBA.O reported a 13.9 per cent drop in quarterly profit after a decline in sales at its AllianceRX Walgreens business. It said US pharmacy sales fell 3.3 per [...]
The City View: Consumers borrowing more, and Victoria Scholar on $15bn Barclays blunder March 29, 2022 Today Andy Silvester chats to Interactive Investor’s Victoria Scholar. They go through Barclays’ rough start to the week after an unknown investor sold over £900m worth of shares in the bank following its $15bn securities blunder; Waitrose’s legal row with ASDA, and consumers turning to discount retailers amid the cost-of-living crisis; and Tesla’s stock split. [...]
Asda launches new and larger value range and kills off Smart Price in race to kickstart stalling growth March 29, 2022 Supermarket giant Asda, which was bought by the Issa brothers and backers TDR Capital last year, said this afternoon it will axe its Smart Price range and replace it with new Just Essentials by Asda products. In fact, Asda is launching a new and larger value range, amid the cost of living crisis, as the [...]
Boots IPO still possible if private equity firms do not cough up, says owner March 27, 2022 One of the owners of high street chemist Boots says floating the chain as a standalone firm is not off the table if private equity firms do not cough up a suitable bid.
Co-op heralds first female CEO as Steve Murrells steps down March 25, 2022 Co-op Group CEO Steve Murrells is to step down, paving the way for the supermarket’s first female boss. Shirine Khoury-Haq, who currently holds the role of group CFO and CEO of Co-op Life Services, will become interim CEO this spring. Exiting boss Murrells will step down after the supermarket’s AGM in May and said the [...]
Apollo lines up banks for £6bn Boots bid as takeover race whittles down March 24, 2022 US investment giant Apollo has become a major frontrunner in the bidding race for the UK’s biggest high street chemist, as it lines up banks to finance a £6bn takeover offer for Boots. The New York-based firm is in talks with Bank of America, Credit Suisse and Royal Bank of Canada to support the bid, [...]
Food industry: Government must act to tackle cost of living crisis as prices spike March 22, 2022 A food industry leader has called on the government to intervene to ease supply chain pressures on food firms as a cost of living crisis looms. Food and Drink Federation boss Karen Betts has urged ministers to act to help millions of households as they face rising food and energy prices this spring. Measures urged [...]