Sports Direct considers bid for Blacks March 2, 2010 SORTS Direct says it is considering a takeover offer for Blacks Leisure. Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, which has brands including Slazenger and Dunlop, already owns almost 30 per cent of Blacks shares. It said it is “evaluating a possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Blacks”. The company, [...]
Blacks tries to keep £22m deal on track February 23, 2010 LAST MINUTE negotiations were taking place yesterday in an attempt to avoid a bitter clash between shareholders at today’s meeting of outdoor clothing specialist group Blacks. Blacks shareholders are due to vote on a £22m refinancing of the group – but the whole exercise has been thrown into jeopardy because of a surprise purchase from an [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 22, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES NORTEL AIMS TO BLOCK PENSIONS CLAIM Nortel Networks and its creditors are seeking to block the UK pensions regulator from pursuing a claim worth as much as £2.1bn ($3.3bn) against the company’s worldwide assets to cover the shortfall in its UK scheme. The Canadian telecommunications equipment maker and its UK subsidiary filed for [...]
Sports Direct in share swoop February 22, 2010 RETAILER Sports Direct is trying to win a disputed 29 per cent stake in Blacks Leisure and potentially use its muscle to oppose its troubled rival’s rescue plans. Sports Direct’s subsidiary Sportsdirect.com is looking to acquire the shares as well as an 11 per cent holding in JD Sports Fashion from the administrators of collapsed [...]
Sports Direct in swoop for stake in Blacks February 22, 2010 RETAILER Sports Direct is circling for a disputed 29 per cent stake in rival Blacks Leisure. Sports Direct’s subsidiary Sportsdirect.com is looking to acquire the rights as well as an 11 per cent holding in JD Sports Fashion from the administrators of collapsed bank Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander. The move would allow the FTSE 250 [...]
Sports Direct celebrates a double victory February 11, 2010 SPORTS Direct has seen a surge in sales and been cleared by a competition commission investigation. Britain’s largest sports retailer raised its full-year profit guidance yesterday after the sales jump for the 13 weeks to 24 January. Retail sales rose 9.4 per cent to £326m – lifting gross profit to £136m. Sports Direct – which [...]
Sports Direct wins the double February 11, 2010 SPORTS Direct has seen a surge in sales and been cleared by a competition commission investigation. Britain’s largest sports retailer raised its full-year profit guidance after the sales jump for the 13 weeks to 24 January. Retail sales rose 9.4 per cent to £326m – lifting gross profit to £136m. Sports Direct – which is [...]
Sports Direct reported to FSA December 21, 2009 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct is understood to have been reported to the Financial Services Authority for allegedly breaking the regulator’s rules in its attempt to buy rival Blacks Leisure. The sports billionaire, who also owns the Premier League’s Newcastle United Football Club, already faces separate investigations by the Office of Fair Trading and the Serious [...]
Lampard saves sloppy Blues December 20, 2009 CARLO ANCELOTTI admitted his Chelsea side were feeling the pressure of a hectic winter schedule after being held by London rivals West Ham in a tale of two penalties. Alessandro Diamanti’s spot-kick on the stroke of half-time gave the Hammers a deserved lead before Frank Lampard rescued the Blues with a thrice-taken penalty after Matthew [...]
SFO launches a probe into Kaupthing over Edge account December 16, 2009 THE Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an investigation into the UK operations of Kaupthing, the Icelandic bank that imploded in October 2008. The SFO is particularly interested in the high yield Kaupthing Edge savings account, which was marketed by subsidiary Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander and attracted more than 30,000 UK customers. The SFO said: [...]