Oil giants dent FTSE April 12, 2012 The FTSE 100 was flat this morning as oil giants BP and Shell saw their stocks hit. Royal Dutch Shell reported that oil had been spotted in the water near one of its platforms in the Gulf of Mexico while BP faced a shareholder revolt today. Another significant drag on the market was the World [...]
The week ahead could offer signs of recovery April 9, 2012 THE Easter Bank Holiday may have shortened the week, but the market may not be short on volatility. Given the lack of major economic and corporate announcements, this week, volume could well be below average. However, traders would be unwise to take their eyes off the ball. It is usually at times like these that [...]
JD Sports sees small sales rise January 12, 2012 JD Sports Fashion said yesterday its acquisition of loss-making Blacks Leisure’s assets would lead to a small reduction in earnings but it expected its full year results to be within the current range of forecasts. The clothing and footwear firm said sales at shops in Britain and Ireland open more than a year increased by [...]
Sports Direct hits out at Blacks January 10, 2012 Sports Direct has hit out at suppliers to Blacks Leisure for its failure to acquire the retailer, which was bought by its rival JD Sports this week. The firm said the deal was “disappointing” given its own bid for Blacks Leisure in 2010 being marked as “wholly inadequate”.
La Senza and Blacks saved from brink January 9, 2012 IT WAS all change on the high street yesterday after two of the UK’s stricken retailers, lingerie chain La Senza and outdoor sportswear company Blacks Leisure, were rescued from administration. Retailer JD Sports confirmed yesterday that it had bought all of Blacks’ 290 stores and the bulk of its business from its administrator KPMG in [...]
JD Sports buys Blacks assets for £20m January 9, 2012 JD Sports has confirmed that it has bought the assets of outdoor clothing retailer Blacks for £20m. Blacks Leisure has 98 Blacks outlets and 208 Millets stores. It also owns the Peter Storm and Eurohike brands. JD Sport Fashions said in a statement: “JD Sports Fashion , the leading retailer of sport and athletic inspired [...]
Dragon adds fire to fight for Blacks Leisure stores January 5, 2012 DRAGONS’ Den star and serial entrepreneur Peter Jones has thrown his hat in the ring for the troubled outdoor goods retailer Blacks Leisure, which was put up for sale last month. Jones, who is on the panel of the BBC reality TV show, has emerged as one of the four trade bidders to have tabled [...]
Moss Bros sees sales buck high street gloom December 15, 2011 MENSWEAR brand Moss Bros has posted a double-digit rise in sales in defiance of tough trading conditions on the high street. The suits specialist said like-for-like sales for the first 19 weeks of the second half were 10.5 per cent up on the previous year, despite tougher market conditions. Gross profits were 7.9 per cent [...]
Comparisons were always going to be tough, but the game will go on December 15, 2011 WHEN you’re a sports retailer reporting against a period that last year included the FIFA World Cup, the comparatives are never going to look good. So though shares fell five per cent after Ashley announced a slight fall in profits yesterday, underlying figures show little proof of a change in upward fortunes – especially when [...]
JD Sports set for hard slog at Christmas November 23, 2011 HIGH street chain JD Sports said yesterday it had seen a sharp slowdown in sales growth since September and warned that Christmas trading would be tough. In a downbeat assessment of falling UK consumer sentiment, the company warned that it was having to work hard to sustain its margins as customers spent less. Shares in [...]