Android maintains command of smartphone sales at Christmas January 22, 2013 SALES of phones running Google’s Android operating system continued to grow over the Christmas period, despite the release of Apple’s iPhone 5. Data from researchers Kantar Worldpanel found that Android increased its market share in key territories – the US, the UK, China and the EU – although Microsoft’s Windows Phone software is showing signs [...]
Carpetright eyes Dreams January 21, 2013 FLOOR covering retailer Carpetright is understood to be one of a number of bidders circling beleaguered bed maker Dreams. Accountancy firm Ernst & Young has been hired to handle the sale process for the bed retailer, which was put up for sale before Christmas by main lender Royal Bank of Scotland. Private equity firm Exponent [...]
Fighting against the future can only buy so much time January 21, 2013 THE decision by HMV’s administrators Deloitte to honour gift vouchers and to pay proceeds raised for charity singles is a piece of luck for those caught out by the music chain’s crisis. While at first sight this is less heartwarming for the chain’s other creditors, it may in fact be slightly upbeat news for them [...]
Portmeirion pre-tax profits on target after bumper revenues January 21, 2013 PORTMEIRION Group, the china-maker best known for its Botanic Garden pattern and collection by Sophie Conran, said full-year profits are likely to be in-line with forecasts after enjoying a strong Christmas trading period. The Aim-listed manufacturer said it expects to report revenues for the year to 31 December 2012 of over £55m, around three per [...]
US budget battle looms as leading concern at Davos January 21, 2013 IT’S that time of year again. High streets are full of bargain-hungry shoppers, Christmas decorations are back in their boxes, New Year’s resolutions are still holding, and a ski resort in Switzerland is preparing itself for an influx of global economic power-brokers. The World Economic Forum is about to descend on Davos. The Eurozone’s enduring [...]
The Tipster | The glass is half Fullers January 21, 2013 THE glass is half-full for Fuller Smith Turner. Backed by steady growing turnover and profit, the brewer’s shares have risen by nearly 9 per cent over the last year. Like-for-like sales over Christmas and the New Year are also expected to be up, giving traders something to toast when it issues an interim management statement [...]
The split personality grape that will get you through the winter January 21, 2013 bottle.opener@cityam.com It is January. It is bitterly cold, Christmas has cost a fortune, the chap next to you on the train is hacking viruses all over you, it’s dark outside and you know it is going to get dark again at 4pm. Happy times. In these circumstances there is only one wine I turn to, [...]
Shoppers desert UK high streets January 20, 2013 BRITISH shops were abandoned in the run up to Christmas, new figures showed today, with hard-pressed consumers increasingly staying away from the high street, out of town retailers and shopping centres. Online sales soared upwards to account for over 10 per cent of total sales, leaving traditional shops to bear the brunt of the country’s [...]
HMV Canada owner Hilco in lead for stores January 20, 2013 VULTURE turnaround fund Hilco UK is poised to add to its stable of Canadian HMV stores after taking the lead in the race to salvage its bankrupt UK sibling. Hilco, which bought out HMV Canada from parent HMV group in 2011 for £2m, is currently heading a pack of around 50 suitors for the iconic [...]
Blockbuster administrators to shut 129 stores and shed staff January 20, 2013 BLOCKBUSTER, the DVD and games rental chain, is to close 129 stores of its 528 stores over the coming weeks and make 760 staff redundant, the firm’s administrators Deloitte said this weekend. These are on top of the 31 store closures that had already been decided before the retailer fell into administration last Wednesday. Deloitte [...]