Analysts have not gone easy on Next’s “miserable” results November 2, 2016 Analysts have not pulled their punches this morning in reaction to Next's announcement that sales fell 3.5 per cent in its third quarter. Retail Economics' chief executive Richard Lim described Next's sales growth as "miserable", and said that the "conditions on the high street remain desperate". Next's share price has been climbing this morning, however, [...]
Next battles tough third quarter with retail sales down nearly six per cent November 2, 2016 What a difference a few months make. In August, shares in Next spiked at the open as it said Brexit hadn't affected consumer spending. For its third quarter, though, total sales were down 3.5 per cent and retail sales were down 5.9 per cent. On the bright side, sales were up in October, while the retailer's sales [...]
Shop prices continued to fall in October, despite the slide in the value of sterling November 2, 2016 Sterling's sharp decline since the EU referendum has not fed into shop prices yet, according to data released today. Shop prices fell by 1.7 per cent month-on-month in October, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Nielsen. Prices on non-food items fell by 2.1 per cent and food prices fell by 1.2 per cent, [...]
Investors pull more money from UK equities in September November 1, 2016 Investors continued to draw money out of the UK in September, new figures out today show. Net retail fund sales tracked by the Investment Association during the month totalled £664m overall, down from £1.7bn in August, with total funds under management coming in at £1 trillion. Investors continued to pull money from UK equities, with [...]
Black Friday 2016 UK: Here are eight shopping tips and tricks for how to make the most the retail extravaganza, according to the experts November 1, 2016 The retail bonanza-slash-bunfight known as Black Friday is nearly upon us – just under a month (25 November). This year sales "experts" are falling over themselves to give bargain hunters top tips to get the best deals without ending up in hospital/prison/debt. That might sound extreme, but after last year's discount day turned violent, it might be [...]
Everything you need to know about Black Friday 2016 November 1, 2016 Black Friday 2016 is almost upon us. Falling on 25 November, this year's mega-deals day is already expected to exceed last year's sales bonanza. Already the rumour mill has started up, with deal tip sites suggesting plenty of bargains will be on offer from electricals specialists from Currys to Carphone Warehouse, while the big players Amazon, John Lewis [...]
Black Friday 2016 history: What is it, when did it come to the UK and where will it hit next? November 1, 2016 Black Friday fever is sweeping the nation, with many retailers saying they will get some of their best sales yet. But where did the bumper discount day come from and where will it hit next? Here's a short history. Where did Black Friday come from? Black Friday – like Halloween, McDonalds and theme parks – [...]
Luxury firms should stop blaming macro trends for poor sales and become more sophisticated October 31, 2016 The latest batch of earnings reports from the luxury giants were showstoppers – with stunning double-digit gains from Kering, the owner of Gucci, versus no growth from Burberry. The polarised results raise the question: is it time for the luxury sector to move on from a tale of woe after the crackdown on Chinese consumption [...]
All Saints scores fourth consecutive year of growth October 31, 2016 Fashion brand All Saints has posted its fourth consecutive year of growth. In the year ending 30 January 2016, the company clocked up total sales of £252.5m, an increase of nine per cent from £231.3m the year before. Read more: All Saints edges closer to sale amid administration fear UK sales increased 7.4 per cent to [...]
Profit warnings edge up with some firms pinning blame on Brexit October 30, 2016 The number of companies that issued profit warnings rose slightly in the third quarter of 2016, with the UK’s June vote to leave the European Union cited by almost a third as a factor in undershooting expectations. Companies listed in the UK issued 68 profit warnings in the quarter, according to a report by accountancy [...]