Sainsbury’s beats Tesco, Asda and Morrisons as only top supermarket in growth while Kantar warns of impact Amazon Fresh will have on sector September 22, 2015 Yet more bad data for the Big Four was released today – plus a hint that there could be a fresh problem facing the UK's supermarket sector, in the form of Amazon Fresh. Sainsbury was the only supermarket among the Big Four to keep pace with the sector's growth over the last quarter, with Asda's [...]
China’s bright spot: Retail September 22, 2015 AFTER decades of super-charged growth, China is in the midst of a major attempt to re-shape its economy and put it on a more sustainable path. As the rate of expansion slows, a stream of sluggish summer data caused concern among markets and commentators. Too much attention can be paid to monthly macro numbers, especially [...]
Finsbury Food profits soar after gobbling up rival bakery chains September 22, 2015 BREAD and cake-maker Finsbury Food has posted a surge in full-year profits, boosted by its acquisition of rival baker Fletchers and Just Desserts. The company, which supplies celebration cakes and other baked goods to retailers including Morrisons and M&S, posted a 6.1 per cent rise in like-for-like sales in the year to 27 June. Group [...]
AO World share price falls despite being on track for revenue jump September 21, 2015 Shares in AO World have fallen 3.9 per cent despite the online electricals giant saying it is on track to report a 20 to 21 per cent jump in second quarter sales. Speaking at a Capital Markets Day being held at its Bolton headquarters today, chief financial officer Mark Higgins said AO.com sales are expected [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 will showcase sport’s booming licensing opportunities for brands September 18, 2015 The culmination of months of sporting excitement aside, there are plenty of business reasons we should be happy about the arrival of the Rugby World Cup in our back garden. One of them is the opportunity within the licensing industry. The licensing industry is booming –the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association’s recent Annual Global [...]
Retail sales suggest UK economic growth to slow in the third quarter September 17, 2015 UK retail sales inched up in August – having dipped a month earlier – but a lack of strength is leading analysts to warn that UK growth is hitting a "soft patch" in the third quarter. Retail sales grew by just 0.2 per cent on a monthly basis, in line with expectations, according to the [...]
JD Sports share price rises: Retailer posts record first half profit but warns National Living Wage will bite September 17, 2015 JD Sports share price climbed 1.4 per cent this morning as the retailer revealed record first-half profit. But the company has tempered its outlook for the future with a warning over the impact of the Living Wage – yet another company to do so. The figures JD Sports' adjusted pre-tax profit jumped 82 per cent [...]
Best of the Brokers for 17 September 2015 September 17, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com ASOS Berenberg reiterated its “buy” rating on the online retailer, and reduced its target price from 4,700p to 4,100p. The broker said that while currency headwinds are a near-term concern, a strong pound is factored into management guidance, and “the increasing utilisation of [...]
David Beckham signs deal with Kent & Curwen September 17, 2015 David Beckham has signed a five-year deal with upmarket British sportswear retailer Kent & Curwen that will see the former England captain design ranges and promote the brand overseas. The deal is the first to come out of Beckham and his business partner Simon Fuller’s joint venture with Hong Kong-listed Global Brands Group last year, [...]
FTSE lifts after strong opening on Wall Street – London Report September 16, 2015 Britain’s top equity index turned higher in thin trade yesterday, as a strong start to trade on Wall Street helped lift mining stocks off their lows. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed up 0.9 per cent higher at 6,137.60 points, turning higher as Wall Street gained following a climb in retail sales. The move helped [...]