Mark Kleinman: Chairs face revolt over independence day March 29, 2019 Who’s the odd one out on this list of veteran FTSE-350 bosses? As chairs of Babcock International, Domino’s Pizza and GVC Holdings, Mike Turner, Stephen Hemsley and Lee Feldman find themselves among the first victims of governance reforms decreeing the end of their ability to act independently after nine years on the board. In the [...]
Mark Kleinman: Interserve is left to clean up its own mess March 15, 2019 What’s this? A public voting process punctuated by angry disputes about the terms and timing of a deal; feverish talk of ousting the top team orchestrating the agreement; and potentially dire consequences if the vote is blocked. It sounds a lot like events in Westminster, but today might instead mark the denouement of another of [...]
Care leavers deserve a chance to begin adulthood on firm footing October 30, 2019 We all remember the challenge of becoming an adult. Fresh out of school, college, or university, you are out there on your own – hunting for your first job, your first flat, and trying to make ends meet on your first pay cheques. My first taste of real adulthood came at age 22, straight out [...]
Strike: Bowling alley operator Ten Entertainment sales grow by nearly a tenth July 10, 2019 Ten Entertainment shares rose three per cent this morning after it reported a 9.6 per cent rise in sales. The FTSE all-share firm benefited from cooler conditions than last year throughout May and June. These helped draw more customers into its bowling centres, it said. Read more: Ten Entertainment to target London in bowling alley [...]
Sir Philip Green loses his billionaire status May 12, 2019 Sir Philip Green has lost his billionaire status, rounding off a torrid 12 months for the scandal-hit fashion mogul. For the first time since 2002, Green can no longer count himself a member of the billionaires club after seeing his personal fortune halve over the course of the last year. The Topshop tycoon and his [...]
John Lewis tumbles down UK top employer rankings March 26, 2019 John Lewis and Partners has lost its crown as Britain’s top employer following a tough 2018 that saw its profits drop by 45 per cent, according to a yearly survey released today. Read more: John Lewis profits plummet 45 per cent in ‘challenging’ market Wren Kitchens now tops the list of UK employers as ranked [...]
Ted Baker share plunge fails to attract buyers June 17, 2019 By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Despite sinking to prices not seen since 2012, investing in Ted shares remains hugely speculative. Ted Baker (LSE:TED) shares are trading at levels not seen since November 2012 after another profits warning accelerated the de-rating of this former high-flying lifestyle brand. Whereas Ted’s shares had once been reassuringly expensive at around 30 times [...]
Primark sales sweeten the pill as retailer outperforms Christmas gloom January 17, 2019 Primark today reported a rise in revenues over the festive period as store expansion outweighed a fall in like-for-like sales. The fashion retailer saw UK sales rise one per cent on last year in the 16 weeks to 5 January, defying a downturn in the wider retail market. Read more: Retail sector suffers worst Christmas in [...]
Shares in Asos soar on news of boosted profits and revenue October 17, 2018 Shares in online fashion giant Asos soared 15 per cent this morning as it revealed profits were up 28 per cent and sales grew by 26 per cent during a "record year" of investment. Revenue at the retailer was £2.4bn in the year to August 2018, up from £1.9bn in the previous year, while profit before tax grew from [...]
Shareholder anger forces Countrywide to abandon pay plan August 20, 2018 Countrywide has rowed back on plans for an executive pay proposal in the wake of a potential shareholder rebellion. The UK’s largest independent estate agency drew anger from investors last week over a new incentive scheme which would mean cash payouts of over £20m for the beleaguered firm’s top bosses, including a £6m windfall for [...]