Alexa Chung for Marks & Spencer has dropped – but what’s the verdict? April 14, 2016 Marks & Spencer's latest attempt to win over the fashionistas (and presumably also the people that actually shop in M&S) landed in shops yesterday. The retailer needs all the help it can get to boost its bottom line – but will this be the collection to swing it? Here's our verdict… What is it? Archive by Alexa [...]
Mothercare’s share price plummets as turnaround plan is dampened by international woes April 14, 2016 Mothercare's share price plummeted more than 17.7 per cent this morning as the baby retailer revealed its growth was being hurt by ongoing struggles with its international division. The figures In the UK, like-for-likes were up 2.1 per cent for the 11 weeks to 26 March, while online sales rose 5.6 per cent and now [...]
Poundland says it is on track to meet profit expectations despite accelerating like-for-like sales fall April 14, 2016 Poundland believes it is on track to meet profit expectations despite its like-for-like sales fall accelerating. The figures In the year to 27 March 2016, like-for-like sales decreased by 3.9 per cent. The fall was steeper – 4.9 per cent – in the second half of the year. In the fourth quarter, Poundland reported a sales [...]
Debenhams’s share price rises as chief executive Michael Sharp formally resigns – but there’s no sign of a successor just yet April 14, 2016 Debenhams' share price climbed 3.4 per cent this morning as it revealed half-year growth while confirming it is "well advanced" in finding a new chief executive. Michael Sharp today submitted his resignation to the board, Debenhams said. It was originally announced that he planned to step down in October last year, but today's move takes that process [...]
JD Sports’ share price climbs as it posts another set of record results as profits soar April 14, 2016 JD Sports Fashion is showing rival Sports Direct how to do it: sales and profit have soared to record highs in the full year, with pre-tax profits leaping 45 per cent. The figures Sales at the group rose 20 per cent to £1.8bn in the year to 31 January, while profit before tax jumped to [...]
The three leadership skills to take your business digital April 14, 2016 It would often seem that, to succeed in the digital world, you need to be a young manager in a startup born with digital DNA, like Alibaba, Uber or Google. This is not the case. Research I have conducted indicates that many traditional companies are successfully transitioning to become digital companies, steered by executives with greying [...]
UK banks have yet to address the elephant in the room: Their current business model is unsustainable April 14, 2016 It was another tough year for UK banks in 2015, and the challenges look set to continue. Our high-street banks are at a vital juncture: they’ve survived the crisis and are now preparing for one of the biggest overhauls of UK banking we have ever known with the introduction of ring fencing. KPMG analysis out today [...]
With Tesco’s profits up but facing an “uncertain market”, has Dave Lewis saved the supermarket? April 14, 2016 John Ibbotson, director of retail consultancy Retail Vision, says Yes. Yesterday’s fall in Tesco’s share price should be taken with a Value sack of salt. Chief executive Dave Lewis is achieving an extraordinary feat, turning around an oil tanker in a very tight spot. With Tesco hemmed in by ruthless competition and food price deflation, it’s [...]
Dashboard cameras drive sales at Halfords, sending the share price up by 9.6 per cent April 13, 2016 Like-for-like revenue at retailer Halfords has accelerated 2.6 per cent in is last quarter, and is up 1.7 per cent for the full year. The car and bike seller has posted an increase in like-for-like revenues of 3.1 per cent in its retail arm and 1.7 per cent in its autocentres compared to the same period last year. For the quarter the company had a second consecutive [...]
Superdrug is turning grey – the beauty store spies a rise in sales of grey hair dye, and it owes it all to teen vlogger Zoella April 13, 2016 They say turning grey is a sign of stress and old age, but it's quite the opposite for Superdrug. The firm boasts that sales of grey hair dye are flying off the shelves, giving all the credit to teen vlooger Zoella after she posted a video pretending to have embraced the "granny hair" trend and dyed her locks silver. Since [...]