After the Nvidelity comes the Huangover. Jensen Huang joins long list who confused boardroom and bedroom
Branch sales fall at WH Smith but travel takes off January 21, 2015 BRITISH High Street icon WH Smith yesterday reported a fall in group and like-for-like sales in the 20 weeks to 17 January. However, it added that it was performing in line with its expectations. The FTSE 250-listed retailer said total group sales for the 20 weeks fell one per cent, with like-for-like sales declining two [...]
Pets at Home on track to meet forecasts with £182m revenue January 21, 2015 Shares in Pets at Home Group gained ground yesterday after the retailer said it remained on track to meet its expectations for the full year on the back of another strong trading update. The FTSE 250-listed retailer said revenue in the 12 weeks to 1 January grew 7.8 per cent to £182.2m, buoyed by merchandise [...]
Marks & Spencer seeks customer loyalty with digital coffee app trial January 21, 2015 Marks & Spencer's chief executive Marc Bolland knows something about the power of loyalty. In his case it's shareholder (and staff) sticking with him despite three and a half years-worth of consecutive declines in clothing sales. But the business is also awakening to the fact it's quite helpful if your customers are loyal, [...]
Halfords glides through Christmas season with high cycling sales January 21, 2015 Sales were up for Halfords over the Christmas period, with total revenue rising 6.5 per cent during the third quarter. During the 15 weeks to 9 January, the UK automotive and leisure product retailer performed particularly well in its car maintenance and cycling divisions, where like-for-like revenue went up by 11 per cent and [...]
Dixons Carphone ups profit forecast after Black Friday and Christmas trading success January 21, 2015 Dixons Carphone has raised its profit forecast after a “roller coaster” Christmas proved a success for the retailer. Full-year pre-tax profits are expected to come in at between £355m and £375m, ahead of expectations, after a seven per cent rise in like-for-like sales over the festive period, including eight per cent growth in the UK. [...]
Rate cuts expected with China growth at slowest since 1990 January 20, 2015 CHINA’S economic growth has slowed to its weakest pace for 24 years, official figures released yesterday show. The economy grew by 7.4 per cent last year. In the final three months of the year the economy grew by 7.3 per cent year-on-year. “The recovery in China’s construction activity, which is the main driver of domestic [...]
Unilever sales disappoint after China slowdown January 20, 2015 CONSUMER goods giant Unilever reported lower-than-expected fourth quarter sales yesterday as it continued to grapple with a slowdown in demand for its products in emerging markets, particularly in China. The owner of Lipton tea and Dove soap said like-for-like sales rose by 2.1 per cent in the fourth quarter, in line with the third quarter, [...]
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley to raise £117m from Sports Direct share sale January 20, 2015 Goldman Sachs is selling up to 15.4m ordinary shares in sports retailer Sports Direct on behalf of founder and deputy executive Mike Ashley. In a statement the investment bank said it would immediately start selling the shares by way of an accelerated bookbuild to institutional investors. At today’s closing price of 751p per [...]
Swiss currency crisis: FXCM share price plummets 87 per cent January 20, 2015 NYSE-listed foreign exchange broker FXCM's share price fell as much as 87 per cent today, after it disclosed the terms of a bailout by Leucadia National. The terms allow Leucadia – parent of investment bank Jefferies – to force the sale of FXCM after three years, and receive half the proceeds beyond repayment of the $300m (£197m) [...]
Christmas sugar rush boosts Thorntons’ high street sales January 19, 2015 HIGH street sales at chocolate retailer Thorntons surged over the Christmas period as consumers tucked into its advent calendars and Snowman-themed treats. The company said like-for-like retail sales rose by five per cent in the 14 weeks to 10 January and by 7.8 per cent in December – a turnaround from the 3.7 per cent [...]