In pictures: Black Friday UK 2014 – police called to branches of Tesco and Asda as crowds swamp stores November 28, 2014 Police have been called to supermarkets all over the UK amid fears of overcrowding, as shoppers stormed supermarkets in order to grab some Black Friday deals. US import Black Friday has prompted shoppers to flock to stores as retailers like Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis slash prices. There are huge discounts available on everything [...]
Peppa Pig maker Entertainment One splashes cash on US deal as finance boss Giles Willits talks expansion plans January 6, 2015 Giles Willits is sitting in the boardroom of Entertainment One’s offices in west London with a family of Peppa Pig cuddly toys gazing up at him. The British TV phenomenon – Peppa Pig, that is – is one of the production group’s most successful exports. But today pigs are forgotten and the group’s jolly finance [...]
M&S poaches John Lewis finance director Helen Weir November 17, 2014 Marks & Spencer has appointed John Lewis finance director Helen Weir as its own chief financial officer. In a statement posted this afternoon, the retailer said Weir has yet to confirm a start date. M&S' previous finance director, Alan Stewart, left suddenly in September to take up his new role at Tesco several months earlier [...]
Here’s why one bank thinks Marks & Spencer is set to outperform January 23, 2014 Exane BNP Paribas has shown some kindness to poor Marks & Spencer this morning after generously upgrading its recommendation to “outperform”, sending shares up more than two per cent. The French bank, which previously had an “underperform” rating on the stock, bravely argues that after three years of difficult trading and a history of underinvestment, [...]
Marks & Spencer hit by analyst downgrades to profit forecasts January 6, 2014 MARKS & Spencer was dealt a further blow after two city brokers slashed their full-year profit forecasts for the embattled retailer, sending shares lower yesterday. Analysts at house broker Citigroup cut their full-year profit forecast by £10m to £630m after a gloomy trading statement from rival Debenhams last week, and amid fears of heavy discounting [...]
Asia and North America fuels profits at SSP November 27, 2014 TRAVEL catering giant SSP delivered a strong jump in profits in its maiden full-year results since floating this summer, fuelled by growth across its businesses in North America and Asia Pacific. The group, which runs travel concessions for retailers such as Marks & Spencer, said underlying pre-tax profits, which exclude IPO costs, rose 61.4 per [...]
FTSE edges higher despite declines in insurers’ shares – London Report November 6, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index ended slightly higher yesterday, with RSA leading insurers lower on weak premiums and drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline slipping after trading without the attraction of its latest dividend. The FTSE 100 ended 0.18 per cent higher at 6,551.15 points, after rising to as much as 6,580.21 earlier. RSA slipped five per cent to 460.10p, [...]
City Moves for 15 December 2014 | Who’s switching jobs December 14, 2014 Lloyds Theresa Newell has been promoted to managing director and co-head of leveraged credit sales at Lloyds Bank Commercial Bank. Newell joined Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking last year and has over 15 years’ experience in credit products. Previously, she was with RBS and JP Morgan Chase. Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management Andrew Clotworthy has joined the [...]
Christmas just got tougher for Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons: Lidl adds “discount” oysters to its deluxe range November 21, 2014 In a year dominated by the rise of the discount grocer, it's perhaps no surprise that Lidl and Aldi will be pulling out all the stops to bring consumers a bit of low-cost luxury. Lidl, which launched a £5 lobster in 2009, has a track record of doing exactly that but this year it's pulling [...]
M&S adds sparkle to FTSE after good corporate results – London Report November 5, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index advanced yesterday, as reassuring corporate reports helped to counteract modest weakness in commodity-related stocks. Ahead of this week’s meetings of the Bank of England and European Central Bank and Friday’s US jobs data, the FTSE 100 finished 1.32 per cent higher at 6539.14 points. Marks & Spencer soared 9.74 per cent [...]