Green to cut hundreds of shops as wary consumers stay home November 24, 2011 ARCADIA Group, the retailer owned by billionaire Sir Philip Green, yesterday said it planned to close up to 260 stores over the next three years after announcing a big fall in profits. The group, which owns fashion retail stores including Topshop, Miss Selfridge, and department store BHS, said it would not renew half of its [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 23, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BOSTOCK IN TALKS TO QUIT M&S FOR ASOS Kate Bostock, the head of Marks and Spencer’s clothing and homewares business, is in advanced talks to take up a senior role at Asos. People familiar with the situation said Bostock was talking to the online fashion retailer about becoming its managing director. Losing Bostock, [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 20, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES CAYMAN DIRECTORS COLLECT FUND JOBS A small group of Cayman Island “jumbo directors” are sitting on the boards of hundreds of hedge funds as demand for independent directors booms in the Caribbean tax haven. A least four individuals hold more than 100 non-executive directorships each, and 14 have more than 70 – each [...]
Fears for UK economy knock FTSE lower in volatile trading November 16, 2011 AFTER yet another rollercoaster session, Britain’s top share index ended a touch lower yesterday, as upbeat US economic data proved a welcome distraction for investors gripped by concern over the UK economy and Europe’s debt crisis. The UK benchmark closed down 8.42 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 5,509.02, after a session in which it [...]
M&S predicts shoppers will flock at Xmas November 8, 2011 MARKS & SPENCER yesterday revealed a fall in first half profits after it chose not to pass on the full extent of spiralling costs to cash-strapped shoppers and battled with a “challenging” economic environment. Britain’s biggest clothing retailer reported underlying pre-tax profits of £315.2m in the six months to 1 October, 10 per cent lower [...]
Here is the Next step for Marks & Spencer to take November 8, 2011 TWENTY years ago, the UK was in recession and Marks & Spencer had just changed its boss: some things never change. Under Rick Greenbury, M&S went on to have a good 1990s, before over-expansion led to the inevitable and painful correction, under a new management team. Twenty years on, the competition is much tougher and [...]
M&S profits fall by 10pc November 8, 2011 Marks & Spencer posted a 10 per cent drop in first-half profit after second-quarter underlying sales fell for the first time in two years, underscoring the pressure on UK consumers. The 127-year-old group, Britain’s biggest clothing retailer which also sells homewares and upmarket food, said on Tuesday it made a profit before tax and one-off [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS October 26, 2011 RECKITT BENCKISER Citi rates the household goods maker “buy” with a target price of £40. The broker has cut its forecasts for the firm to reflect higher than expected Medicaid rebates, offsetting expected rises in organic growth. However, Citi continues to see the valuations for the firm as compelling, with the stock currently trading on [...]
Greencore gets takeover interest October 25, 2011 Shares in Irish food group Greencore jumped almost 10 per cent yesterday after it revealed a preliminary takeover approach from an unnamed company. Greencore, whose merger with Northern Foods fell through in March, bought rival Uniq in July to improve its ties with Marks & Spencer. The maker of Weight Watchers meals and Bisto gravy [...]
Pub chief Ian Dyson to exit in high spirits October 20, 2011 IAN DYSON, chief executive of Spirit, the managed pub operator that demerged from Punch Taverns this year, will step down as chief executive on 16 December and hand the reins to his deputy, Mike Tye. The former Marks & Spencer finance chief was parachuted in to run Punch Taverns in September last year and decided [...]