Bidding war looming: Ted Baker launches formal sale process as retail giant receives yet another takeover offer April 4, 2022 Ted Baker has launched a formal sale process after receiving a third takeover move by US private equity suitor Sycamore Partners. Shares in the company jumped on Monday morning after the fashion brand said it had also received another “unsolicited” approach by an unnamed party. It comes a week after Ted Baker rejected two takeover [...]
Lush lathers up for return to profit amid buy out of US partner April 3, 2022 Soap-seller Lush has bought out its US partner in a bid to almost double its sales in the UK. According to The Financial Times, the high street name is eager to pump cash into rebuilding its UK operations after they took a hit amid Covid restrictions. The retailer returned to profit in its last financial [...]
Whitbread searching for new CEO as Alison Brittain plans to step aside April 3, 2022 The hospitality powerhouse behind Premier Inn is hunting for a chief executive to replace Alison Brittain. Brittain is readying to step aside from her role heading Whitbread, following seven years in the top job, according to The Sunday Times. Headhunters at Spencer Stuart have been hired by Whitbread to find a suitable replacement for Brittain. [...]
Pop-up firm Sook tops £1m sales as Instagram businesses dabble with bricks-and-mortar retail April 1, 2022 Pop-up retail company Sook has hit £1m sales, with CEO John Hoyle telling CityA.M. an “explosion” of social media brands are looking for flexible spaces. Speaking to CityA.M., Hoyle said small businesses who use TikTok and Instagram are increasingly keen to venture into physical retail on a flexible basis. The company has seven spaces in [...]
Fashion chain Quiz anticipates profit for first time in three years April 1, 2022 High street clothes-seller Quiz said it anticipates the first year of profit since 2019, after heavy pandemic losses. The beleagured chain forecast a profit before tax of some £500,000 in the year to the end of March. It last made a profit of £600,000 in the year ending March 2019. Total full year group revenue [...]
After an explosion of apps and billion dollar valuations, is the ultra-fast bubble about to burst? April 1, 2022 Any Londoner on a stroll down a main road in the city is bound to encounter a handful of instant grocery delivery riders zipping past. With Getir, Gorillas and Gopuff among other players on the scene, the category has exploded over the past couple of years with some receiving billion-dollar valuations. The pandemic saw many [...]
Walgreens: Profit hit after sales dip at US pharmacies while Boots enjoys sales rebound March 31, 2022 Walgreens Boots Alliance has taken a dent to its quarterly profit while its UK drugstores have enjoyed a sales bounce back. Drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc WBA.O reported a 13.9 per cent drop in quarterly profit after a decline in sales at its AllianceRX Walgreens business. It said US pharmacy sales fell 3.3 per [...]
H&M reveals 240 store closures in ‘established markets’ March 31, 2022 H&M has announced 240 global store closures after posting a slowdown in sales after suspending activities in Russia. The Swedish retailer has said it will open some 95 new stores and shut around 240 stores this year, with a net decrease of 145 spaces. Closures will “mainly be in established markets,” the fashion company said, [...]
Ikea to close Tottenham store in £1bn plans to speed up home deliveries in London March 30, 2022 Ikea has revealed it will be shutting shop at its Tottenham store, with some 450 employees set to be impacted. However, Ikea said it has plans to retain as many individuals as possible. It is also planning to create some 600 vacancies in the capital before the store shuts. The North London store will remain open [...]
Huel: No rush for IPO as meal replacement drinks biz passes £100m revenue March 30, 2022 The CEO of start-up Huel has said its £1.50 meal replacement drinks offer struggling households affordable nutrition as inflation skyrockets. “We feel we can support [people in the cost of living crunch,] given our products start at £1.50 a meal,” CEO James McMaster told CityA.M. Households are facing sharp grocery bill increases this spring, as [...]