Debenhams eyeing web sales growth September 18, 2011 DEBENHAMS will issue its first results under new boss Michael Sharp tomorrow with an added emphasis expected to be placed on online growth. The figures for the fourth quarter come as UK retailers face headwinds as household budgets are squeezed. Analysts are expecting the chain to focus on its international growth – particularly at its [...]
Mothercare joins shorted UK retailers September 1, 2011 INVESTORS stayed sceptical on the UK’s mid-market retailers in August, new figures from Data Explorers show. Mothercare and Ocado both joined the list of the most shorted stocks on the FTSE All-Share as hedge funds bet their shares would fall. Publishing group Yell, Argos owner Home Retail and Dixons were among the most shorted for [...]
Ocado founder wife cuts stake August 17, 2011 The wife of one of the Ocado founders slashed her stake in the firm just before it crashed to a record share-price low. Kira Faiman, wife of Jonathan Faiman, sold at least £7m worth of stock on 9 August through Tempest Capital. The firm has seen its stock tumble to below its flotation price as [...]
Best to keep hold of those hard hats August 11, 2011 Hang on to those hard hats for a little bit longer. To the relief of all concerned in the financial markets, yesterday saw stocks rally in most parts of the world. But these are anything but safe times. In Europe rumours of some form of ban on short-selling, confirmed late last night, lifted stocks. Such [...]
Ocado growth forecasts slashed August 11, 2011 Goldman Sachs has cut its sales and earnings forecasts for online grocery group Ocado after the firm said its lack of warehouse capacity was continuing to hinder growth. Goldman, one of Ocado’s two brokers, revised its 2011 sales forecast down two per cent, and cut its 2012 forecasts by five per cent. It said forecast [...]
Ocado adds new Oxford base August 4, 2011 Online retailer Ocado is to open a new regional depot near Oxford to tackle capacity problems at the online grocer. Due to open in November this year, the 43,000 sq ft warehouse will be able to process 10,000 orders a week. The new site will take pressure off existing sites in Weybridge and Coventry, as [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS July 6, 2011 ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS Deutsche Bank rates the food-to-fashion conglomerate as a “hold” and raises its target price from 950p to 1,050p, seeing extremely favourable dynamics in European sugar as likely to keep prices high and generate a major windfall for the group. The broker upgrades its 2011-12 earnings per share forecast by £70m or around [...]
Ocado slumps despite profit June 27, 2011 OCADO shares took a hit yesterday, falling 9.1 per cent despite the company reporting its first profit and unveiling a deal to deliver a range from French supermarket giant Carrefour. Chief executive Tim Steiner admitted the online delivery retailer had issues with capacity but said its growth plan was on track. In the six months [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: CAN OCADO LIVE UP TO ITS EXPANSION PLANS? June 27, 2011 CLIVE BLACK | SHORE CAPITAL In its half-year update Ocado disappointed the market. With a very challenging consumer economic environment and Waitrose’s challenge to come, we believe there are few tailwinds to support Ocado’s momentum. Hence, unsurprisingly with downgrades, we remain cautious on Ocado stock. ANNA SMEE | HUNDRED The fundamental question mark above Ocado [...]
FTSE up but investors jittery over Greek crisis June 27, 2011 The FTSE 100 was up this morning but investors remained wary ahead of yet another chapter in the Greek financial crisis. Greek MPs are due to debate a fresh package of austerity measures later. The euro slipped as confidence in the eurozone continued to be sapped by Greece’s debt pile. Meanwhile France’s Christine Lagarde was [...]