Fuller’s improves at Christmas after watered-down summer January 24, 2013 CUSTOMERS flocked to Fuller’s pubs over Christmas, as the landlord and brewer reported a 4.5 per cent like-for-like sales rise during the festive period in its core business. After declining sales for much of the year, improved trading in the nine weeks to 19 January has pushed Fuller’s to a 2.6 per cent rise in [...]
Online shopping spurs PayPoint January 24, 2013 Credit card processing company PayPoint yesterday said increasing internet transactions led it to a four per cent rise in revenues year-on-year for the three months to January. The firm, whose customers include Sainsburys Local, Asda and the Co-op, processed 193m transactions during the period, up five per cent on last year. The rise in internet [...]
New look browsing for debt restructure January 23, 2013 NEW LOOK is in talks with banks over refinancing its £1.1bn debt, following improved trading. The fashion retailer, whose designers include Kelly Brook (above), has revamped stores in a bid to attract older customers. New Look reported a 3.7 per cent like-for-like sales rise at Christmas, and is seen to be able to attract lower interest [...]
Icy times between fund managers and bankers January 23, 2013 ARROGANT, indolent, avaricious – and these are some of the politer adjectives applied to investment bankers and private equity firms during their ongoing stand-off with City fund managers. The permafrost between them has shown few signs of thawing since two BlackRock executives outlined in 2011 a litany of gripes about the way bankers sell new [...]
Amazon gains over Christmas January 23, 2013 AMAZON tightened its grip on CD, DVD and game sales at Christmas, taking a quarter of the market at the expense of the high street. Research from Kantar Worldpanel Entertainment found that the online retailer took 23.4 per cent of entertainment sales in the 12 weeks to 23 December, up from 20.3 per cent last [...]
Swann’s way has brought profit but not boosted sales January 23, 2013 CHRISTMAS should hardly have been a season for merriment at WHSmith, judging by the latest trading update, with like-for-like sales down five per cent for the 20 weeks to 20 January, and total sales down four per cent. Yet the stationery, books and impulse goods seller was chipper, pointing to good profits thanks to careful [...]
Margin growth offsets sales fall for WH Smith January 23, 2013 Books and stationery retailer WH Smith yesterday said strong margins helped to underpin profits and offset a five per cent fall in like-for-like sales over Christmas. Sales at high street stores open more than a year slipped five per cent in the 20 weeks to 20 January 2013, but WH Smith said gross margins “improved [...]
WH Smith upbeat despite drop in sales January 23, 2013 WH Smith this morning posted a drop in sales over the Christmas period, although it said improved margins helped to underpin profits. The stationery and books retailer posted a five per cent drop in like for like sales over the 20 weeks to 20 January. In its high street stores, like for like sales fell [...]
Rose will keep up Ocado’s appearances – but little else January 22, 2013 WHEN Sir Stuart Rose dipped his toe back in the retail waters by becoming chairman of Blue Inc and backing The Hut last year, it should have been obvious he had his eye on bigger things. But why Ocado? This column – not to mention several high-profile City analysts – have long taken a dim [...]
Spirits at Marston’s pubs lifted by influx of Christmas diners January 22, 2013 PUB and brewing company Marston’s, known for beer brands such as Marston’s Pedigree and Hobgoblin, said comparable sales rose 5.8 per cent at its pubs in the Christmas holiday season. The company, which operates around 2,150 pubs across England and Wales, said like-for-like sales at its managed pubs in the three weeks ending 5 January [...]