Amazon plans LoveFilm buy for £200m January 3, 2011 AMAZON is planning a buy-out of the online DVD rental company LoveFilm, which would value the firm at £200m. The online retail giant already owns 42 per cent of LoveFilm after a deal in 2008 when it sold its DVD rental arm to the company. The cost of a buyout would therefore be around £116m. [...]
Retailers hit back over BBC claims December 22, 2010 THE British Retail Consortium (BRC) has branded a withering attack on supermarket expansion broadcast on the BBC’s Panorama last night as “misleading”. Programme makers indicate that the UK’s major grocers are growing more quickly than ever, suggesting that one of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons effectively gets planning permission for a new store “every working [...]
Utility firms lift FTSE 100 as cold snap drives power sales December 20, 2010 UTILITY stocks helped push Britain’s top shares higher yesterday, as the UK’s near-Arctic conditions boosted demand for energy, but British Airways toiled as the big freeze disrupted airline services. The FTSE 100 closed up 19.86 points, or 0.3 per cent, at 5,891.61. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 closed up 6.33 points at 11,433.11. It touched a [...]
Tesco faces a battle for Czech shop chain December 15, 2010 TESCO is lining up against Europe’s largest retailer Carrefour in the race to buy the Zabka retail chain. The pair are among four bidders pursing Zabka, which has 2,300 stores in the Czech Republic and Poland. “There are four bidders left, two strategic (investors) and two financial (investors),” a source close to the transaction said. [...]
Tesco and Carrefour in bidding war for Czech chain December 15, 2010 Europe’s largest retailer Carrefour and its largest British peer Tesco are among four bidders for the Zabka retail chain, according to Reuters sources. Zabka owner, Czech-based Penta Investments, might sign the deal, valued at no less than 300m euros (£255m), in 2010, the sources said. “There are four bidders left, two strategic (investors) and two [...]
Supermarket chains halt Xmas orders in Scotland after weather takes its toll December 13, 2010 SUPERMARKETS and online shops – including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda – have halted orders or suspended deliveries, after last week’s heavy snow weather brought the transport network to a standstill. Many are struggling to cope with a backlog of deliveries after strong downfalls. Couriers including Parcel Force and Home Delivery Network have also been affected, as [...]
Mothercare speeds up its foreign plans December 9, 2010 MOTHER and baby products retailer Mothercare is accelerating its expansion overseas, particularly in India, and has raised its profitability target for international stores. Mothercare, which is taking analysts on a tour of its operations in India, said yesterday it expected total overseas network sales to double to £1bn by 2014. As well as expansion in [...]
THE TIPSTER December 8, 2010 Retailers have had mixed results recently with supermarket Tesco announcing bumper numbers and Game Group doing the opposite. HMV steps up to the plate today and investors will want to know if the Christmas season is providing a welcome uptick in sales. The share price has performed poorly so far in 2010 but it seems [...]
Tablets are this year’s turn-on for gadget lovers December 8, 2010 TECH TALK The must-have present this year is a tablet. If you can’t afford an iPad an Android is arguably much better value. Are tablets sexy? I suppose they are if you can watch certain movies. But which blue tablets are the best? The Binatone HomeSurf 8 Touch Tablet is an eight incher. The similarities [...]
Game Group profit hit as price promotions weigh December 8, 2010 COMPUTER games retailer Game Group said its profit margins would fall by more than expected as it steps up promotions to lure cash-strapped shoppers and maintain share in a cut-throat competitive market. Game, which has been hit by the absence of new games console launches this year, said yesterday sales trends had improved in recent [...]