M&S hires new finance boss to help Bolland’s revolution August 3, 2010 MARKS and Spencer has hired former WH Smith executive Alan Stewart to help new chief Marc Bolland ring the changes at the company. Stewart, 50, who has held a series of senior posts at public companies, will join the retailer in October. He will be the right hand man to Bolland, who joined in May [...]
Ash cloud hits airport sales at WH Smith June 8, 2010 WH Smith yesterday blamed disruption caused by the the Icelandic volcanco ash cloud for denting sales during the 14 weeks to 5 June. The company’s 570 high street stores saw like-for-like sales fall four per cent in the period. The group said like-for-like sales in the third quarter had fallen by four per cent at [...]
WH Smith sees sales hit in ash cloud crisis June 8, 2010 WH Smith posted a fall in third-quarter sales as travel disruption due to the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud hit the firm’s airport business. The company said its financial position was in line with market expectations and although it was cautious about consumer spending it was confident in the outcome for the full year. WH Smith [...]
WH Smith and Currys Digital hit with label of being worst retailers May 27, 2010 TWO of Britain’s best-known high street chains have been named and shamed as the worst shops in the UK in a new consumer poll. Retailer WH Smith and electronics store Currys Digital (formerly known as Dixons) came bottom in the survey by consumer experts Which? More than 14,000 people scored 100 shops on factors including [...]
WH Smith and Currys Digital hit with label of being worst retailers May 27, 2010 TWO of Britain’s best-known high street chains have been named and shamed as the worst shops in the UK in a new consumer poll. Retailer WH Smith and electronics store Currys Digital (formerly known as Dixons) came bottom in the survey by consumer experts Which? More than 14,000 people scored 100 shops on factors including [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS May 25, 2010 Electra Private Equity Electra has appointed Colette Bowe as chairman after three years on the board. Bowe, an economist, began her career at the Department of Trade and Industry and then became chief executive of the Personal Investment Authority and chairman of European asset management at Robert Fleming. She is currently a board member at [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS May 25, 2010 Electra Private Equity Electra has appointed Colette Bowe as chairman after three years on the board. Bowe, an economist, began her career at the Department of Trade and Industry and then became chief executive of the Personal Investment Authority and chairman of European asset management at Robert Fleming. She is currently a board member at [...]
Swann set for bumper payday April 25, 2010 KATE Swann, the chief executive of stationery retailer WH Smith, could be in line to receive a million-pound payout if the firm’s shareholders approve a sweetened incentive package designed to guarantee her loyalty. Swann, who has been the subject of intense speculation over the top job at Royal Mail, has already received £2.5m after a [...]
WH Smith ups its dividend as profits rise April 22, 2010 WH Smith raised its dividend yesterday after a jump in first-half profits. The newspaper, books and stationery retailer reported a profit of £70m for the six months to 28 February, up four per cent. It hiked its dividend by 13 per cent to 6.1p. WH Smith’s first-half sales fell two per cent to £716m, while [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WILL WH SMITH’S COMEBACK LAST? April 22, 2010 KATE CALVERT | SHORE CAPITAL “We believe WH Smith’s valuation suffers from too much investor focus on the lack of top-line sales growth in its high street business. It overlooks. the group’s strong cash generation and how management is turning the group back into a growth story through its travel division.” KEITH BOWMAN | HARGREAVES [...]