Mark Kleinman: Handbags (and more) at dawn for activist Ashley November 21, 2024 Mark Kleinman is Sky News’ City Editor and is the man who gets the Square Mile talking in his weekly City AM column. This week he tackles Mike Ashley’s newfound penchant for activist investing, Homebase’s turnaround and and Burberry’s flip-flopping Handbags (and more) at dawn for activist Ashley Paul Singer, Bill Ackman…and Mike Ashley? On the list [...]
Bloom & Wild: Loyal customers help slash loss amid cost-cutting drive November 20, 2024 Bloom & Wild slashed its post-tax loss by more than 95 per cent as its focus on retaining existing customers and cutting costs started to pay off. The London-headquartered business, which which sends bouquets of flowers in boxes that can fit through a letter box, increased its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and [...]
Ofgem tells E.ON Next to pay up over prepayment meter failings November 20, 2024 The energy regulator Ofgem has told provider E.ON Next to pay up £14.5m for failing to provide final bills and refunds to its customers. E.ON failed to provide customers energy bills or give them back money owed on credit balances for prepayment meters. This comes after an investigation by Ofgem found that nearly 250k prepayment [...]
Starmer’s war on farmers will end in tears November 20, 2024 Farmers are busy people, often completely immersed in a lifestyle and a sector that demands their total attention and dedication. They kept going throughout the pandemic. They’ve been untroubled by the great working-from-home debate. They’ve put up with policy changes, regulatory reform, subsidy reform, Brexit checks, weather events, supply chain disruption, Whitehall bureaucracy, rising costs [...]
What Trump 2.0 means for the tax bills of UK businesses November 20, 2024 Tariffs, investment and deglobalisation: KPMG tax expert Tim Sarson takes us through what Trump's second presidency means for UK businesses.
The Range owner confident of sales success but Homebase rescuer struggles to return to profit November 19, 2024 The owner of The Range has forecasted a continued rise in its sales as it carries on taking advantage of “high profile retail casualties” after rescuing Wilko and Homebase. CDS (Superstores International) hit the headlines again recently when it snapped up part of strike DIY chain Homebase out of administration. The move came after the [...]
Could the digitisation of social care pave the way for a better NHS? November 19, 2024 The system, as it stands, is struggling – and the debate over what should or can be done to fix it is still ongoing.
Beware of the big promises of AI – we’ve been here before November 18, 2024 AI hype is everywhere, but we've been here before. Ian Whittaker prescribes a healthy dose of scepticism in today's Notebook.
Pressure on incomes helps B&M grow as value retailer targets 1,200 stores November 14, 2024 Value retailer B&M Bargains has posted a tick-up in revenue as demand for bargain goods has remained high amid pressure on incomes and a higher tax burden. The Liverpool-based group, which included Heron Foods, said group revenue in the half year to 28 September increased by 3.7 per cent to £2.6bn. While this is lower than growth last [...]
Homebase sold in rescue deal to CDS but 2,000 jobs still at risk November 13, 2024 Homebase has been sold in a rescue deal to retailer CDS in a move securing up to 1,600 jobs and 70 stores, administrator Teneo has said, but around 2,000 workers and 49 shops still remain at risk.