BEST OF THE BROKERS January 7, 2010 SAGE UBS has switched its rating to “buy” from “netural”, pointing out it is trading at a 23 per cent discount to its FTSE peer group. It believes the current share price ignores the sustainability of Sage’s 2009 cost savings programme. Anticipates a “solid” trading update later this month, and says “patient” buyers will be [...]
JD Sports “back on track” after seasonal lift January 7, 2010 JD Sports Fashion said it was on track beat the City’s profit expectations for the year after enjoying a festive boost. Like-for-like sales rose 6.6 per per cent in the five weeks to January 6, driven by the performance of its fashion-focused chains Bank and Scotts, where trading rose 9.7 per cent. The group said [...]
JJB cautious on Christmas as sales drop December 17, 2009 JJB Sports has reported a 52 per cent plunge in sales in the 20 weeks to 13 December, with the Christmas season failing to reverse its fortunes. The struggling sports retailer has been trying to stage a fight back after it came close to going into administration earlier in the year. But the latest gloomy [...]
JJB sales plunge 52% in “difficult” trading December 17, 2009 JJB sports has reported a 52 per cent plunge in sales in the past six months, with the Christmas season failing to reverse its fortunes. The struggling sports retailer has been trying to stage a fight back after it came close to going into administration earlier in the year. But the latest gloomy figures have [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS December 2, 2009 DUNELMAltium Securities yesterday gave Dunelm Group a “buy” rating and forecasted earnings growth of about 30 per cent for 2010, partly based on the company’s reported £24m of net cash at the end of 2009, following a £30m net cash inflow the previous year. It said that Dunelm’s financial strength and capacity for expansion position [...]
JD Sports Fashion says its trading has improved December 1, 2009 Sportswear and fashion retailer JD Sports Fashion said yesterday its trading has improved over the last 11 weeks and it is confident of its prospects for the rest of the year. The firm last updated the market on 12 September when it reported like-for-like sales up 0.5 per cent for its sports-based stores and up [...]
Sports Direct will fight to keep its Blacks holding October 27, 2009 Sportswear retailer Sports Direct is ready to defend its claim to a 28.5 per cent stake in outdoor goods firm Blacks Leisure, rejecting a counter claim by administrators of Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander. “Sports Direct is in the process of taking an action against Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander and its administrators, Ernst & Young,” Sports [...]
Powerleague shrugs off new bid talk October 25, 2009 POWERLEAGUE, Britain’s biggest operator of five-a-side football, yesterday shrugged off rumours that sports fashion retailer JD Sports was plotting to gatecrash its £42.5m takeover. Earlier this month Powerleague agreed to a takeover offer from its biggest shareholder, Patron, which owns 29 per cent. Its executive chairman, Claude Littner, a close friend and colleague of Apprentice [...]
JJB Sports plunges to a huge 43m loss September 24, 2009 EMBATTLED sportswear retailer JJB Sports yesterday reported widening losses for the six months to July, dragging the group £42.9m into the red. JJB Sports said that the losses had grown from £14.8m the year before, as revenue dived by 42.5 per cent to £178.6m. The group also said like-for-like sales were down by 27.4 per [...]
Profits jump at JD Sports on sales rise September 22, 2009 JD Sports yesterday shrugged off the gloom, reporting an 11 per cent rise in profits, despite the consumer downturn battering the high street. The group said profits rose to £10.1m in the six months to 1 August, boosted by a jump in sales. JD Sports said that group total sales were up by 8.4 per [...]