Why we bought Provident Financial September 22, 2017 Provident Financial, the Bradford-based sub-prime lender, has gone up in flames in recent weeks from an investment perspective. Profit warnings and high profile departures have left the company untouchable to most, but it remains attractive to value investors Look up the definition of ‘bad news’. In a dictionary these days it would not be surprising [...]
Why Paris is on the up: tourism, transport and Brexit September 21, 2017 As Global Cities bloggers and property investors, we track a whole range of factors when compiling the Schroders Global Cities index. Strong tourism and improving transport links are among the essential ingredients for improving a city’s prospects and therefore its attraction to commercial real estate investors. Paris, ranked 16th in the index, is worthy of [...]
Made.com is crowdfunding its next must-have furniture designs September 21, 2017 Made.com, the innovative online furniture retailer, is turning to crowdfunding to unearth its latest must-have designs. The internet startup, co-founded by serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman and backed by millions in venture capital cash, is tapping the hive mind and boom in popularity around creative projects on platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Read more: Podcast: [...]
A decade on from Northern Rock, it’s time to ask: why do we never learn from crisis? September 18, 2017 Boards and executives alike argue that each time a crisis comes along, this time it’s different. That may be so, but customers are more likely to see the latest crisis as just another example of financial services companies not getting their act together. Ten years on from the devastating run on Northern Rock in the [...]
Toscafund launches €300m fund to invest in unlisted financial and business services companies September 13, 2017 Multi-asset manager Toscafund has launched a new €300m private investment fund, to invest in financial and business services companies around Europe. To head the team, Toscafund has hired Fabrizio Cesario and George Koulouris – both formerly of private equity firm Anacap Financial Partners, a financial services specialist. Read more: Au revoir: Barclays completes sale of [...]
What Brexit? UK investors are feeling more confident in their investments than European peers, Legg Mason finds September 11, 2017 UK investors are more optimistic than their average European counterpart, despite uncertainty around Brexit, according to a study out today. Half (50 per cent) of UK investors are somewhat optimistic about the returns their investments could achieve over the next year, while 13 per cent are very optimistic. Eight per cent were not optimistic at [...]
Feeling adventurous: UK private equity firm Inflexion buys Virgin Experience Days September 11, 2017 Private equity firm Inflexion is seeking to cash in on the growing consumer demand for experiences with the purchase of Virgin Experience Days. Virgin Experience Days arranges one-off adventure days for consumers and businesses such as Spitfire flying and supercar driving. The company sells more than 750,000 experiences a year, making revenues of around £50m. [...]
Focus On Streatham: Where house price growth is nearly 9 per cent year-on-year, twice the London average September 4, 2017 If you have an SW postcode, think of yourself as one of the lucky ones. The average home in south west London now costs over £1m and it’s long been home to some of the most expensive streets in the country. But there is a way to live in an SW postcode without being a [...]
How tobacco stocks could now be damaging to your wealth September 4, 2017 A month has now passed since tobacco businesses – and their share prices – were sent reeling by a US regulatory announcement. So what was the news that, for example, wiped out all the gains British American Tobacco had made in the first half of this year? Was it perhaps about to become illegal to [...]
Cineworld-owned Picturehouse Cinemas narrows losses while staff approve fresh strike action September 3, 2017 Arty cinema chain Picturehouse chain reduced its losses in 2016, but faces further strike action in a dispute between staff and owner Cineworld. For the year ending 31 December 2016, Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd recorded boosted revenues of £28.7m, up from £17.8m the year before. But the cost of sales more than doubled from £6.5m to [...]