Buffett left red faced as IBM’s shares tumble October 20, 2014 JUST days after legendary investor Warren Buffett admitted that buying a near four per cent stake in Tesco was a “huge mistake”, another one of US fund manager’s big gambles is looking shaky. IBM. led by chair and CEO Ginni Rometty, yesterday reported that sales fell four per cent to $22.4bn (£13.9bn) in the three [...]
FTSE 100 falls again as price slump hits oil sector – London Report October 20, 2014 Britain’s top equity index resumed its fall yesterday, giving back half the gains made in the previous session, as investors reckoned with reduced earnings expectations for oil companies after a slump in oil prices. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed down 43.22 points, or 0.7 per cent, at 6,267.07 points, after rising 114 points on [...]
Warren Buffett’s second “huge mistake”? IBM shares slide 7.5 per cent in pre-market trading as it admits fall in profits October 20, 2014 It has only been a few days since Warren Buffett admitted buying nearly four per cent of Tesco was a "huge mistake", but now another one of the legendary investor's big gambles is looking shaky. IBM said sales fell four per cent to $22.4bn (£13.9bn) in the three months to the end of September – [...]
Fenwick boosts board with Alastair Kerr and Christine Cross October 19, 2014 Fenwick, the family-owned department store chain, has bolstered its board by hiring two retail heavyweights, Alastair Kerr and Christine Cross, as non-executive directors. Cross spent the biggest part of her career at Tesco, where she held a string of senior non-food retailing roles between 1989 and 2003 under Lord MacLaurin and Sir Terry Leahy. She [...]
Tesco probe finds evidence of inappropriate behaviour by staff October 19, 2014 THE INVESTIGATION into Tesco’s £250m black hole is understood to have found evidence that a small group of staff deliberately misled its auditors as they struggle to meet sales targets. The UK’s largest supermarket chain is due to report its delayed half year results on Thursday, with chief executive Dave Lewis set to update the [...]
George Osborne braced for bad news on deficit reduction – London Report October 19, 2014 Public finance figures due out tomorrow are likely to be a blow to chancellor George Osborne, with tax receipts lowered by very low earnings growth. Economists predict that Osborne is now unlikely to meet fiscal targets for the year, despite improved economic activity, stronger house prices and an improved labour market. Howard Archer, of IHS [...]
Tesco’s profits overstatement might be less than it thought October 18, 2014 Did Tesco overestimate its overestimate? The supermarket last month claimed to have discovered a profits black hole of £250m, but now it looks like that figure could be less than originally thought. Sources have told Sky News that the grocer is likely to tell the City it had a shortfall of between £200m and £250m [...]
Moody’s thinks Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons’ profit margins will continue shrinking October 17, 2014 Profit margins at the so-called “big four” supermarkets will shrink even further than they have already as they fight a losing battle against discounters, according to rating agency Moody's. "Further price cuts could be particularly credit negative for Tesco and Morrison as their cost-cutting and efficiency measures are unlikely to fully offset the negative impact [...]
Warren Buffet sells down Tesco stake October 16, 2014 WARREN Buffett, the world’s third richest man, has sold 245m shares in Tesco, just weeks after describing his investment in the troubled retailer as a “huge mistake”. Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, which first invested in Tesco in 2006, has reduced its stake from 3.6 per cent to below the three per cent limit at which investors [...]
Tesco share price continues to fall as Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway reduces exposure to troubled supermarket October 16, 2014 Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has reduced its exposure to Tesco, as the troubled supermarket's share price tumbled further. Until yesterday the legendary investor had around a four per cent holding, the fourth largest stake in the grocer, but has sold more than 245 million shares, cutting that down to less than three per cent. [...]