Comparisons were always going to be tough, but the game will go on December 15, 2011 WHEN you’re a sports retailer reporting against a period that last year included the FIFA World Cup, the comparatives are never going to look good. So though shares fell five per cent after Ashley announced a slight fall in profits yesterday, underlying figures show little proof of a change in upward fortunes – especially when [...]
Sports Direct to hit profit forecast December 15, 2011 Sports Direct, Britain’s biggest sporting goods retailer, posted a two per cent rise in first-half profit and said it was on track to meet its target for the year. The firm, controlled by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, said it was confident of reaching its full year target for underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation [...]
Sports Direct eyes up Blacks December 13, 2011 STRUGGLING retailer Blacks Leisure said yesterday it had been approached by Sports Direct International – one of a number of expressions of interest it has received since putting itself up for sale last week. Sports Direct, controlled by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, has a 21 per cent stake in the firm, and said any [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD December 11, 2011 COMPANY NEWS ● Betfair Group will announce its interim results tomorrow. The sports-focused online gambling exchange is betting on seeing the numbers in their favour. ● Domino Printing Sciences will announce its preliminary results tomorrow. The company is lasered in on industrial printing equipment. Carpetright, Britain’s largest carpet retailer, will also roll out its preliminary [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING December 6, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES CLARKE REJECTS CALL FOR EU POWER GRAB Ken Clarke has told Conservative eurosceptics to forget about repatriation of powers from Brussels at this week’s European Union summit, while urging David Cameron to focus on “how to maintain the financial stability of the western world.” The justice secretary’s comments, in an interview with the [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS December 5, 2011 Hastings Direct Liz Latter has been appointed as head of insurer development at the firm. She will work with Adrian Parry, head of Hastings’ panel development activities for the last two years, who will step back from his full-time commitments in early 2012 to pursue other commitments, but will continue to support the business. Latter [...]
SIX SECRETS OF THE SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR December 4, 2011 ENTREPRENEURS are an intriguing species. Charismatic, fragile, passionate, distracted: with such conflicting personality traits, it’s no wonder they sometimes fail to turn great ideas into viable – and profitable – businesses. At Piper, we have worked with countless entrepreneurs during our 25-year history. The best share characteristics that can make all the difference between failure [...]
Tragic Marilyn memoir is flawed gem November 24, 2011 Film MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Cert: 15 Marilyn Monroe returns to the big screen with a career-making performance from Michelle Williams, supported by an array of outstanding British talent. A true story, My Week With Marilyn combines two memoirs written by Colin Clark, a documentarian whose first job was as a production hand on the [...]
Blatter race row heats up as Ferdinand leads outcry November 17, 2011 EMBATTLED Fifa president Sepp Blatter was facing fresh calls to resign last night after he stood by his comments claiming racism in football is not prevalent, a stance which sparked a public spat between himself and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. On a day when British footballers and politicians united in their blanket condemnation of [...]
The new Lord Mayor’s message for the City November 13, 2011 AS A keen rower since my schooldays, I have a long track record of steering a course through choppy waters. I suspect this may come in useful over the next twelve months. Having taken over as Lord Mayor at a time when the political and economic environment remains turbulent – and popular opinion towards the [...]