Pret grows globally as £1 in every £4 now spent outside the UK September 17, 2024 Pret a Manger may be a London lunchtime staple but it has made a firm push for international growth, with over a third of its stores and a quarter of its sales now in international markets. In its half-year results, the sandwich and coffee chain said its sales grew by 10 per cent year on [...]
Headlam hit with £16m loss as Brits cut home improvement spending September 17, 2024 British flooring specialist Headlam has endured a tough six months, blaming a drop in home improvement spending as the key factor behind a sharp fall in revenue. The London-listed firm saw its revenue slide by just under 12 per cent year-on-year for the six months to June 2024, with UK sales down 11 per cent [...]
Kingfisher shares soar: B&Q owner sales dip as customers shun ‘big-ticket’ items September 17, 2024 B&Q owner Kingfisher has reported a “resilient” set of results after a series of profit warnings last year, but weaker sales in France continued to weigh on profit. According to its half-year earnings for the six months ended 31 July 2024, sales fell by 1.8 per cent overall, to £6.75bn from £6.9bn, while gross profit [...]
The Bank of England decision that really matters this week September 17, 2024 The Bank of England's interest rate decision later this week looks like a done deal. But there is another, arguably more important, decision you should be paying attention to, Chris Dorrell writes
Saracens chief Mark Thompson: TV deals, club losses and future of rugby September 17, 2024 Saracens Rugby’s new chief executive Mark Thompson discusses TV broadcast deals, the club’s path away from their recent £5m loss and the state of rugby union and its future. Being a rugby bigwig cannot be far from the most stressful job in sporting governance; the English game is a borderline failure and clubs are churning [...]
Italian firms Leonardo and Marcegaglia to invest £485m in Britain, Starmer reveals September 16, 2024 Two Italian companies Leonardo and Marcegaglia are set to invest £485m into the UK, Sir Keir Starmer has announced. The news came during a joint press conference in Rome with the Prime Minister of Italy, Georgia Meloni, as part of Sir Keir’s trip to strengthen ties on migration, trade and defence. Aerospace firm Leonardo will [...]
Deliciously Ella acquired by Swiss firm as it looks to expand September 16, 2024 Healthy snack company Deliciously Ella has been acquired by the Swiss firm Hero Group for an undisclosed sum. Deliciously Ella founders Ella Mills and Matthew Mills, who is chief executive of the brand, will remain with the company “as they lead the next stage of growth”, Hero said. The couple said: “We are both incredibly [...]
Premier League v Man City: What to expect from the eye-catching legal battle September 16, 2024 What exactly is the hearing looking at, and what should we expect to learn?
Freetrade revenue soars as platform launches share lending September 16, 2024 Revenue at investment platform Freetrade spiked 34 per cent in the first half of the year, bringing in £233m in new cash to the stock trading website. The group reported £2.5m in cost savings in its half-year results, moving it into profitability after losing £5.6m in adjusted operating profit during the first half of last [...]
Major League Cricket to tempt England great Anderson with six-figure offer September 16, 2024 Anderson was ushered into international retirement by England chiefs earlier this summer but is considering prolonging his career by playing lucrative white-ball competitions.