Diageo slashes dividend as ‘Drastic Dave’ takes charge February 25, 2026 Guinness maker Diageo has slashed its dividend as the cost-cutting regime of new chief executive ‘drastic’ Dave Lewis begins to take hold, prompting a share price spook. The board announced the “difficult” decision to cut its dividend to 20 cents to “accelerate the strengthening” of its balance sheet in its interim results, the first financial [...]
Bureau Veritas: Sector-Leading Organic Revenue Growth of 6.5% in FY 2025 February 25, 2026 Strong margin improvement to 16.3% in FY 2025 Positive growth outlook with continued margin expansion in 2026 New EUR 200 million share buyback
£40bn to restore Parliament? Maybe Guy Fawkes had the right idea… February 25, 2026 The reported £40bn cost of refurbishing the Palace of Westminster is not a serious proposal – it’s a distraction designed to outrage, writes James Ford We are all familiar with the Goldilocks principle of restaurant wine lists. Every wine list is part marketing ploy, part social gauntlet and pure psychological trickery. It is designed to [...]
Reeves urged to cut bank tax as UK competitiveness lags February 25, 2026 Rachel Reeves is facing renewed calls to cut tax on the banking sector after new bombshell research laid bare the competitive disadvantage UK lenders are battling against. The Chancellor spared banks from a highly-anticipated fresh tax raid in the Autumn Budget but a new report – penned by the Association for Financial Markets (AFME) and [...]
Luxfer Delivers Strong Full-Year 2025 Profitability and Cash Generation February 24, 2026 Portfolio focus and favorable mix drive sustained profitability, enhanced adjusted earnings growth and strong cash flow generation Fourth Quarter 2025 Highlights* Net Sales declined 12.3% to $90.7 million from $103.4 million, while Adjusted Net Sales1 declined 5.5% Net Income of $0.1 million, compared to $3.3 million, and $0.12 per diluted share, with Adjusted Diluted EPS1 of $0.28 down 3.4% from $0.29 Adjusted EBITDA1 of $13.0 million, declined 5.8% Continued execution of previously announced operational excellence initiatives, including the Riverside and Powders Saxonburg centers of excellence, expected to drive improved efficiency and generate approximately $6 million of long-term annual savings Full Year 2025 Highlights* Net Sales declined 1.9% to $384.6 million from $391.9 million, while Adjusted Net Sales1 increased 2.5% Net Income of $13.1 million, or $0.48 per diluted share, compared to $18.3 million and $0.68 per diluted share, with Adjusted Diluted EPS1 of $1.11, up 12.1% from $0.99 Adjusted EBITDA1 of $51.9 million, up 4.2% Delivered strong free cash flow of $26.2 million, reducing net debt to $31.1 million Enhanced portfolio quality and strategic focus following completion of the Graphic Arts sale * Comparative information is relative to prior-year fourth quarter and full year; results exclude discontinued operations 1 Note: Adjusted results exclude Graphic Arts and 2024 legal fee recoveries
Meta strikes AMD chip deal as AI spend continues to boom February 24, 2026 Meta has agreed a multiyear deal to buy up to six gigawatts of AI computing power from AMD, in an agreement valued at more than $100bn (£74.5bn) that could see the social media group take a stake of up to 10 per cent in the US chip giant. The companies said on Tuesday that Meta [...]
Jets has Some Scope to land Nicholls tenth Greatwood gold February 24, 2026 AS WE march relentlessly towards the Cheltenham Festival there are only a couple of weekends left to fill the coffers before the greatest four days on turf. With jumps action from Newbury, Doncaster and Kelso, there’s plenty to get our teeth into this Saturday and I think I’ve spotted a few nice ante-post propositions. Trainers [...]
Poniros can cause Cheltenham shock once again February 24, 2026 CONSTITUTION Hill’s win on Flat debut at Southwell last Friday has really shaken up the Champion Hurdle betting. While you couldn’t help but be impressed by his performance, which saw him cut for Tuesday’s showpiece, there is still the glaring concern over his jumping. The difficult decision rests with connections, who may well choose to [...]
Paul Nicholls: British trainers in “better place” heading into Cheltenham February 24, 2026 PAUL Nicholls is confident that British trainers can challenge Ireland’s dominance at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with the Ditcheat-based trainer suggesting Britain are going into Cheltenham “in a better place than we’ve been for the last few years”. Ireland won the Prestbury Cup by a huge 20-8 margin last year, but Nicholls believes the likes [...]
Big Four consulting giants pivot to ‘high-growth verticals’ amid AI disruption February 24, 2026 Following news of Deloitte’s latest expansion, experts predict a wave of restructuring and a “high-growth vertical” focus across the Big Four giants. On Monday, Deloitte revealed its plans to launch a Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) firm, aiming to build a regional powerhouse that keeps pace with rapid technological change. The new firm will [...]