No smoke without fire in BAT boardroom, Vereker charms the CBI and Nationwide’s 10x deal September 21, 2018 No prizes for guessing what the directors of British American Tobacco (BAT) are smoking – it’s all about next-generation products these days. Still, the owner of Lucky Strike and Dunhill believes there’s enough life in its core portfolio to sound an optimistic note about the future of the business under its next chief executive. Like [...]
UK Plc profits jump as banks and oil and gas prosper August 6, 2018 Profits at listed British companies surged in the last 12 months as the UK’s biggest firms boosted revenues, according to data published today. UK firms listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange earned £210.8bn in the 12 months to the end of June, the analysis by the Share Centre shows – an [...]
Maybe this will be the time that the US finally gets over its love affair with guns August 7, 2019 Even Donald Trump, for once, didn’t appear to believe what he was saying. “Mental illness and hate pull the trigger, not the gun,” opined the President in his prepared statement from the White House on Monday, in response to the latest mass shootings on US soil in El Paso and Dayton which have claimed 31 [...]
Medical cannabis could nip Britain’s growing opioid crisis in the bud September 20, 2019 The United States is suffering from an epidemic that is estimated to have claimed 400,000 lives. In what is now known as the opioid crisis, drug manufacturers have been raking in huge profits over the past two decades by mass prescribing a diverse class of addictive painkillers known as opioids. Now, about 130 people in [...]
UK corporate debt soars to all-time high after years of low interest rates July 2, 2018 The debt of the UK’s public listed companies (PLCs) has hit an all-time high after years of low interest rates and continued pressure to return money to shareholders. The Link Asset Services UK PLC debt monitor shows UK listed company debt of £390.7bn, up 69 per cent from the debt low point of 2010-11, an [...]
British American Tobacco’s profit heats up as it looks to the vaping market February 23, 2017 Lucky Strike and Dunhill cigarette maker British American Tobacco (BAT)'s profits and revenue grew over 2016 as it strives to pump up its next generation product offerings. The figures The tobacco giant reported revenue increased 12.6 per cent to £14.75bn, helped by the weak pound, while organic revenue increased 6.9 per cent, driven by good pricing. Adjusted [...]
Vaping and tobacco industries welcome Public Health England review into e-cigarettes February 6, 2018 The tobacco and vaping industries have greeted a new report by Public Health England which found that e-cigarettes only pose minimal health risks. The review was welcomed by British American Tobacco and the UK’s vaping industry trade body among others. The review comes as a rebuke to fresh health concerns over vaping which have emerged [...]
Buoyed by Sainsbury’s and BP gains, London’s FTSE 100 continues its rallying march May 1, 2018 The FTSE 100 is continuing its strong performance today, inching past yesterday’s 7545 highs to 7549 and extending its 10 per cent late-March reversal into May. The slip in sterling as well as a drop in UK manufacturing activity have helped buoy the London market, as have Sainsbury’s shares which have continued to rally in [...]
A minimum excise tax on cigarettes will hurt lower earners and fuel the black market, British American Tobacco says March 3, 2017 Once again, British American Tobacco (BAT) is pushing back against the government's proposals to create a so-called tax floor ahead of next week's Budget. A minimum excise tax (MET) will set a minimum amount of tax payable on any packet of cigarettes. After former chancellor George Osborne announced plans to instate an MET in 2016, the government now says it will announce [...]
British American Tobacco could puff up cash offer for Reynolds American December 18, 2016 British American Tobacco (BAT) is preparing to puff up its takeover bid for US rival Reynolds, according to reports. The FTSE 100 cigarette company announced a $56.50-per-share bid for the 58 per cent of Reynolds American it does not already own in October. This bid valued Reynolds at around $47bn. Taking full control of Reynolds [...]