Pimm’s and trifle give Royal Wedding boost to Waitrose May 2, 2011 THE extra Royal Wedding bank holiday pushed Waitrose sales up 23.1 per cent compared to last year’s Easter break, the supermarket said yesterday. Total branch sales for the week to Saturday 30 April jumped as revellers stocked up for barbecues and street parties. Popular items included trifle, with sponge sales rising 370 per cent on [...]
Virgin Media hits forecasts April 20, 2011 Cable operator Virgin Media said it added 20,200 net new cable customers in the first quarter, drawn by fast broadband speeds and pay-TV, helping it to post solid results in line with forecasts. Virgin Media, which competes with pay-TV company BSkyB and telecoms and broadband providers such as BT, said its customers were also paying [...]
Kingfisher in plan to boost global growth March 24, 2011 KINGFISHER yesterday unveiled a five-year plan to transform the business with massive growth and a campaign to breathe new life into the flagging UK DIY market. The bold blueprint was unveiled as the B&Q owner reported a 22.5 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £670m in the year to 29 January. However total sales [...]
DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR June 23, 2011 Recessions are when reputations are made, they say, and that has been true in the world of fund managers. While some have battened down the hatches, the ones on our list have seen opportunity in crisis, and pushed ahead with flotations and expansions, or have just taken the chance to expand. All are stars in [...]
Murdoch in deal to buy all of BSkyB March 2, 2011 NEWS CORP’S buyout of BSkyB is set to be given the go-ahead this morning after it agreed to spin off the loss-making Sky News Channel, thereby avoiding a lengthy Competition Commission investigation. News Corp is expected to retain its current 39.1 per cent minority holding in Sky News while buying out 100 per cent of [...]
Dixons warns on profit as UK trade worsens March 30, 2011 The UK’s No.1 electricals retailer Dixons has issued a profit warning, becoming the latest store group to report worsening trade as shoppers are hit by rising prices and government spending cuts. Dixons, which runs the Currys and PC World chains, said profit before tax and one-off items for the year ending April 30 was likely [...]
Dixons warns on profit as UK trade worsens March 30, 2011 The UK’s No.1 electricals retailer Dixons has issued a profit warning, becoming the latest store group to report worsening trade as shoppers are hit by rising prices and government spending cuts. Dixons, which runs the Currys and PC World chains, said profit before tax and one-off items for the year ending April 30 was likely [...]
News Corp bid expected to get OFT go-ahead February 28, 2011 RUPERT Murdoch’s News Corp’s proposed £13.2bn takeover of of satellite broadcaster BSkyB is expected to get the go-ahead from secretary of state Jeremy Hunt by the end of this week, avoiding a full Competition Commission investigation. Senior BSkyB sources told City A.M. they expected Hunt to announce his decision as soon as this afternoon, which [...]
BSkyB profit up as customers hit 9.6m October 22, 2010 BSkyB has posted strong first quarter profits after adding a better-than-expected 96,000 customers, due to strong demand for its broadband and telephone services. The strong operating performance, which took the total customer base to 9.96m, helped the firm to post revenues up 15 per cent to £1.5bn, in line with forecasts, and adjusted operating profit [...]
News Corp nears BSkyB deal with OFT February 24, 2011 RUPERT Murdoch’s News Corp is closing in on a deal with regulators over its £7.8bn bid for broadcaster BSkyB, sources said yesterday. The media group is close to agreeing a series of undertakings with the Office of Fair Trading that would satisfy its concerns that a takeover would unduly concentrate the UK’s media sector. The [...]