Fevertree shares sink 20 per cent as it warns on profit January 20, 2020 Fevertree’s shares plunged today as it warned that “subdued” Christmas trading in the UK would knock 2019 profit lower than last year’s total. The tonic maker now expects revenue growth of 9.7 per cent to £260.5m, compared to 2018’s 40 per cent growth rate. That will see sales miss expectations for 2019, leading Fevertree to [...]
Marks & Spencer shares slip as clothing underperformance weighs on Christmas trading January 9, 2020 Marks & Spencer’s Christmas performance was weakened by poor sales in its menswear business, after the retailer ordered too many skinny jeans in the wrong sizes. The high street chain said it over ordered skinny and slim-fit mens’ trousers, under-bought regular fit jeans and had too many small sizes and not enough medium and large. [...]
Credit card giant Newday set to buy finance platform Deko January 9, 2020 Credit card issuer Newday has reportedly agreed to purchase retail finance platform Deko in a bid to boost its tech credentials. Newday has reached a deal to acquire Deko for up to £40m, depending on the tech provider’s performance, Sky News reported. Read more: ‘Worst year on record’ for retailers in 2019 If the purchase [...]
John Lewis issues profit warning as MD steps down January 9, 2020 John Lewis & Partners issued a profit warning today and said its managing director will leave the struggling business next month after underwhelming Christmas sales. The retail partnership warned full-year profits will be “substantially down” on last year as it revealed significant drops in both John Lewis and Waitrose revenue. Read more: Four problems new [...]
Sainsbury’s Christmas sales slip despite online boost January 8, 2020 Sainsbury’s suffered the biggest drop in Christmas sales of general merchandise since it bought Argos in 2016, as consumer demand for toys and games weakened. General merchandise sales, which includes Argos, dropped 3.9 per cent in the 15 weeks to 4 January, driving a 0.7 per cent decline in total retail sales excluding fuel. However, [...]
Aldi Christmas revenue tops £1bn but growth slows January 6, 2020 German discount retailer Aldi said today that its Christmas sales increased 7.9 per cent year-on-year to break £1bn for the first time. The supermarket chain said its sales in the four weeks ended Christmas eve were driven by strong growth in beers, wines and spirits, its premium Specially Selected range and fresh meat. Total beers, [...]
Ocado joint venture with Marks & Spencer ‘working well’ December 12, 2019 Ocado has said its joint venture with Marks & Spencer is “working well,” as the retail delivery giant said revenue growth slowed slightly in its latest quarter. The firm saw growth in weekly orders, but stable average order size for the 13 weeks to 1 December. Read more: Ocado sales growth accelerates after Andover fire [...]
M&S shares jump after Goldman Sachs hikes rating December 9, 2019 Shares in Marks & Spencer jumped this morning after investment bank Goldman Sachs hiked its stock rating following improvement in the retailer’s troubled clothing and home division. The company’s share price was up more than four per cent after Goldman Sachs issued a “buy” rating, from its previous “sell” recommendation, in a boost for the [...]
Marks & Spencer hires ex-Tesco exec to fix struggling clothing division November 22, 2019 Marks & Spencer has named a new clothing boss to replace its ousted former head of the struggling division. Tesco’s former F&F clothing chief Richard Price will join as M&S’s new managing director of clothing home after Jill McDonald left the role in July. Read more: Poor clothing sales knock M&S’s half-year profit lower Marks [...]
Shazam’s ex-CEO Andrew Fisher joins Rightmove as chairman November 22, 2019 The old boss of music recognition app Shazam has been appointed Rightmove’s new chairman. Andrew Fisher will replace Scott Forbes when he retires from the board at the end of December after 14 years at the helm. Read more: UK house prices won’t catch sluggish inflation rate until 2021 Fisher, who was behind Shazam’s international [...]