Christmas spending splurge fails to push high street sales into positive territory January 6, 2017 High street shops ended a disappointing year with a dismal performance during the festive season, failing to land positive sales despite bumper spending in the week before Christmas. Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, meaning shoppers had an extra day to spend, but like-for-like sales growth on the high street still came in at [...]
Three important investment lessons to take from 2016 January 5, 2017 Did anybody anywhere in the world put an accumulator bet on the UK voting to leave the European Union, Donald Trump winning the US presidential election and Leicester City winning the Premier League? The bookmakers believe not and you’d think they might have noticed – after all, these events were considered so unlikely that [...]
The most gripping private equity tale of 2017? Japanese tyre firm agrees £215m takeover deal for British counterpart January 5, 2017 A Japanese tyre company has agreed a £215m takeover deal for a UK counterpart. Private equity firm Graphite Capital today announced the sale of Micheldever Tyre Services (MTS) to Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), Japan’s sixth largest tyre manufacturer. Graphite said the sale represents a 3.7 times return on its individual investment. The private equity house originally backed [...]
Non-Ascential items: Events company puts 13 magazines up for sale, including Health Service Journal, Drapers and Construction News January 5, 2017 Publisher and events company Ascential has put 13 of its magazines up for sale. The Health Service Journal, Construction News, Local Government Chronicle, Drapers and other titles have been separated from the rest of the business into a separate operating entity. Ascential said it was seeking new owners for the “heritage brands”, which sit within EMAP, [...]
Three important investment lessons to take from 2016 January 5, 2017 Did anybody anywhere in the world put an accumulator bet on the UK voting to leave the European Union, Donald Trump winning the US presidential election and Leicester City winning the Premier League? The bookmakers believe not and you’d think they might have noticed – after all, these events were considered so unlikely that just [...]
After Brexit fears, Stonegate Pub Company toasts to sales growth over festive season January 5, 2017 Stonegate Pub Company today announced strong performance over the festive period despite fears of a tougher market after Brexit. The UK's leading privately owned managed pub company said total like-for-like sales grew 5.7 per cent in the four-week period from 5 December to 1 January following strong performance last year. Stonegate operates 691 drinks-led pubs and bars, including high [...]
In charts: How we spent £6.3bn on digital music, movies and games in 2016 January 5, 2017 It's official: we now spend more cash on watching films and TV via digital than we do on DVDs and Blu-Rays. And that helped entertainment sales hit a record high of £6.3bn in 2016. Some 58 per cent of revenues in the video business came from digital, a majority for the first time as overall sales [...]
Nisa bags a nicer Christmas trading period January 4, 2017 Convenience store chain and wholesaler Nisa Retail bagged a sales boost in the lead-up to Christmas, with like-for-like sales increasing 2.2 per cent. Total sales grew 2.7 per cent in the 10 weeks to the 1 January, reaching £235.6m, as compared to £229.5m during the same period last year. Read more: Christmas come early: CMA [...]
Next’s shares tumble after company issues profit warning January 4, 2017 Next's shares have taken a hammering today after the retailer issued a profit warning. The retailer cut its profit forecast for 2017-18 to a range of £680m-£780m. Analysts had estimated the forecast would be £784m. Following the announcement, Next's share price tumbled by 12 per cent. Next's shares have now fallen nearly 50 per cent since [...]
John Lewis cashed in ahead of the subdued Christmas period January 4, 2017 John Lewis cashed in in the lead-up to Christmas, before families deserted festive shopping on the high street for feasting at the dinner table. For the week starting 19 December, the department store made sales totaling £175.6m. Christmas Day and Boxing Day – when most John Lewis shops are shut – took place during the comparative week in [...]