Everybody wins: Post Brexit trade deal with 65 nations will cut import costs and save Brits millions June 19, 2023 Developing nations are set to benefit from reduced tariffs under a new post-Brexit trading scheme launched by the UK. The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) scheme will cut import costs for 65 countries, including 37 African nations and 26 states in Asia, Oceania and the Middle East. It will save UK firms and consumers £770m [...]
Halfords investors looking for progress after profit warning earlier in the year June 9, 2023 Investors in Halfords will be hoping the retailer has made progress in repairing holes in its workforce as it is set to unveil its full-year financial results. The bike and car parts seller warned over its profits earlier in the year amid a shortage of mechanics. The firm, which also services cars and bikes and [...]
Standard Chartered profit rises 21 per cent but confirms “no contact” with suitor First Abu Dhabi Bank April 26, 2023 Standard Chartered beat expectations in the first quarter as rising interest rates once again boosted the bank but it confirmed there had been not contact with First Abu Dhabi Bank. The emerging markets-focused lender reported a pretax profit of $1.8bn, rising 25 per cent year on year and beating market expectations of a $1.4bn profit. [...]
Halfords share price soars as retailer’s motoring offering woos cash-strapped Brits April 18, 2023 Halfords‘ share price soared over eight per cent this morning as the motoring and cycling giant revealed its sales could top £1.9bn. The Birmingham headquartered retailer, which has seen its shares slide 30 per cent in the last year, said it expected pre-tax profits to come in at around £90m to £110m, up from £50m [...]
Halfords boss urges govt to help with labour market gap as profit guidance shrinks January 12, 2023 Halfords’ chief executive Graham Stapleton has called on the government to help fill a gap in the labour market as the group reduced its profit guidance from £60m to £50m. Stapleton said it couldn’t get “enough qualified technicians into our garages to meet demand” and that was hurting growth. According to the chief executive, the [...]
Letters: Looming talent shortages December 5, 2022 [Re: Halfords focusing on offering shoppers more essentials as they slash discretionary spending, Nov 23] Unsurprisingly, the cost of living crisis is impacting shopping habits. In fact, Fourth’s data shows consumers will spend less on a variety of items from holidays to groceries next year. So we may expect more announcements from retailers, and whilst [...]
Halfords focusing on offering shoppers more essentials as they slash discretionary spending November 23, 2022 Halfords must transform into offering more essential products as shoppers trim back discretionary purchases, bosses said on Wednesday morning. The cycling specialist said that a switch-up to selling more “needs-based” items was key as the firm must become less “reliant and exposed to the volatility of more discretionary product markets.” It warned it was expecting [...]
Halfords buys commercial tyre firm Lodge Tyre for £37.2m October 5, 2022 Halfords has bought commercial tyre firm Lodge Tyre for £37.2m in cash, the motoring services retailer announced today. The London-listed company will pay an initial £33.2m while a further £4m will be paid in FY25 depending on performance. “The acquisition of Lodge Tyre is yet another example of Halfords’ strategic aim of becoming a motoring [...]
Halfords warns cost pressures could lead to road safety risks September 7, 2022 Halfords share price boomed more than 10 per cent on Wednesday morning, following a trading update. Halfords saw like for like sales dip 1.9 per cent compared to the year before, for the 20-week period to 19 August 2022. Sales last year benefitted from the end of the Covid lockdown in the UK. The motoring [...]
Halfords fined for sending 500,000 unwanted marketing emails September 6, 2022 Halfords has been fined £30,000 after an investigation found it had sent nearly 500,000 unwanted marketing emails. The bike retailer had received complaints over emails about a government voucher scheme that gave people £50 off the cost of repairing a bike at any participating store or mechanic in England. Halfords jumped on the scheme to [...]