Sainsbury’s Asda merger makes Mayfair live worse for more after delivering £140m blow April 30, 2018 Some of Mayfair’s best-known hedge funds were today delivered a blow by Sainsbury’s as shares in the supermarket giant surged following a weekend confirmation it was holding merger talks with rival Asda. Along with other retailers, the grocer is one of Britain’s most heavily shorted stocks. Some 14.55 per cent of Sainsbury’s share capital is [...]
Sainsbury’s (SBRY) share price soars after confirming Asda merger proposal will lead to price cuts of around 10 per cent April 30, 2018 Sainsbury’s this morning provided more detail on its plans to merge with Asda, after reporting a return to growth with full-year profit before tax up 1.4 per cent to £589m. Shares in the supermarket soared in early trading after the tie-up proposal was confirmed, up more than 16 per cent in early trading. The combination [...]
Store wars: Sainsbury’s and Asda mega-merger heats up race to become Britain’s ultimate supermarket superpower April 30, 2018 The race to become Britain’s ultimate supermarket superpower grew suddenly more interesting over the weekend as Sainsbury’s and Walmart-owned Asda revealed they are in merger talks to become Britain’s largest grocer. The two supermarkets, which have both lost market share, are seeking to join forces in a bid to topple Tesco, the current market leader [...]
Sainsbury’s to announce details of talks for £10bn Asda merger April 30, 2018 Details of a proposed £10bn mega-merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda will be revealed today, after it emerged that the two giants are locked in takeover talks. Sainsbury’s will issue a statement to the market this morning after confirming on Saturday that it was in advanced discussions regarding the tie-up with Wal-Mart owned Asda. City observers [...]
Next (NXT) share price rises as it weathers high street woes to up earnings guidance March 23, 2018 Next reported the results from a difficult year for the retailer, with both sales and profit dipping for the year to January 2018. The retailer said last year in many ways, was “the most challenging” it had faced for 25 years, as a difficult clothing market coincided with “self-inflicted product ranging errors and omissions”. It [...]
Why UK-focused stocks look their cheapest in a decade March 19, 2018 Uncertainty about the country’s long-term relationship with the European Union, its biggest trading partner, has left many international investors nervous about investing in UK companies. One recent poll showed that UK stocks were the least popular asset class among global fund managers. I disagree. I can see bright spots in the UK stock market that [...]
This stock market index rose 289% but could still be good value March 17, 2018 Over time, smaller company shares have outperformed larger ones, research shows. The FTSE Small Cap index has risen 289% since its nadir in February 2009, compared with a 158% rise for the FTSE 100. Because of their size, “small caps” have the potential to grow more quickly. The quicker a company can grow its earnings [...]
Proxy adviser Manifest has just collapsed into administration March 16, 2018 Shareholder advisory group Manifest has today crashed into administration. Moore Stephens has been appointed as administrator of the lead proxy advisor. According to March 2017 accounts – Manifest’s latest filing with Companies House – the firm had £1.3m of debts payable within the next 12 months. Representatives for the administrators were unable to comment on [...]
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) angling for increase in annual budget to take on “blockbuster cases” March 13, 2018 The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is having “ongoing conversations” about the way it is funded after questions have been raised regarding its current arrangements. The BBC reported that the prosecutor was in talks with the Treasury to increase its annual budget, which currently sits at £31m. The body often asks the Treasury for an extra [...]
PwC, Tesco, JP Morgan, British Science Association, NatWest, women in tech March 8, 2018 PwC is launching a new initiative today called Tech She Can, to get more women into technology-related jobs. The company is collaborating with 17 other corporations — ranging from Tesco to JP Morgan — to tear down barriers for women entering technology by creating what they dubbed a “tech talent pipeline”. Sheridan Ash, the PwC [...]