Mobile shoppers boost demand at Shop Direct January 13, 2014 SHOP Direct said sales from smartphone and tablets “exploded” over Christmas, boosting the group’s efforts to shift away from its roots as a traditional catalogue business. The online and catalogue retailer, which owns brands such as Very.co.uk, Littlewoods.com and isme.com, said total sales rose five per cent in the six weeks to 27 December compared [...]
Retailer Jaeger is back in fashion as online revamp pushes up sales January 13, 2014 JAEGER said efforts to turn itself around were starting to pay off as the 130-year-old fashion retailer said that sales over Christmas jumped by almost a third. Like-for-like sales rose 23 per cent in the 13 weeks to 28 December thanks to changes to its website, which helped boost online sales by 57 per cent. [...]
Mountain Warehouse scales new heights after bumper Christmas January 13, 2014 MOUNTAIN Warehouse was celebrating yesterday after the bleak Christmas weather prompted Britons to splash out on outdoor clothing. Like-for-like sales were up 10.7 per cent at the outdoor retailer over the six weeks to 5 January, the retailer said yesterday, benefiting from the wet and windy weather around Christmas. Its performance was also boosted by [...]
Sales soar over festive season at Greene King January 13, 2014 BREWER and pub group Greene King yesterday reported a 3.8 per cent jump in its like-for-like sales during the first 36 weeks of its financial year, boosted by bumper food sales on Christmas Day. The results were helped by the two trading weeks covering Christmas and the New Year, during which Greene King reported sales [...]
Analyst Views: What did you make of Greene King’s trading update yesterday? January 13, 2014 DOUGLAS JACK | NUMIS SECURITIES Trading has strengthened slightly over the latest six weeks (to 5 January), with managed pub like-for-like sales increasing to 3.8 per cent from 3.5 per cent, aided by an improved trading backdrop. Total sales are up 8.2 per cent. We believe the risk to forecasts remains firmly on the upside. [...]
US weather unlikely to hit first quarter GDP – but that’s not necessarily good news January 13, 2014 While freezing cold was given for the blame for Friday's poor jobs data, Deutsche Bank's chief US economist Joseph LaVorgna doesn't think we'll see the weather "meaningfully dampen current quarter GDP." But LaVorgna does warn that it is "way too early to say with any precision". This doesn't mean that the weather isn't bad news [...]
Apax edges towards Israeli float of dairy producer January 13, 2014 Israel's biggest cottage cheese producer took a step closer to floating on the stock market yesterday after its UK-based private equity owners approved plans to list the company. Tnuva, which has a stable of top selling brands ranging from kosher chicken to cheese spreads, has been controlled by London-based Apax Partners – owner of UK [...]
How “charity” plastic bag charge will make the Treasury millions January 13, 2014 It doesn't get more disingenuous than this: not only will next year see a mandatory charge on carrier bags, but it'll see the so-called "charity" charge heaping cash into Treasury coffers, reports The Telegraph's Christopher Hope. Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg unveiled the 5p charge for plastic bags at the Lib Dems' party conference, back [...]
Chinese holidaymakers lead the charge over Christmas January 13, 2014 Wealthy foreign visitors helped keep Britain’s tills ringing over Christmas with spending up a record 40 per cent on the previous year. Chinese tourists led the charge, with spending up 52 per cent to around £741 per transaction in December, according to figures out today by tax-free shopping specialist Global Blue. While China accounted for [...]
Here’s why this analyst thinks Royal Mail shares could go higher still January 13, 2014 Royal Mail's announcement of a management team reshuffle has already been met with glee by one analyst. Robin Speakman of Shore Capital says that the changes "reflect transformation progress", and Speakman is convinced that the delivery company still has "strong potential … for profitable growth and development". Shore Capital are maintaing a "buy" rating on [...]