Struggling to choose a luxury car? Then ask the dealer for a holiday March 29, 2012 BUYERS of luxury cars are faced with more choice than ever before. To differentiate themselves, the car companies have started offering something extra to entice would-be customers. Most of the big luxury car marques offer driving trips to their customers, giving them the chance to tour a variety of stunning locations in their new car. [...]
Ex-HBOS boss in battle with FSA over fine April 22, 2012 PETER Cummings, the man behind some of the most high profile loans made by Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), has been handed a seven-figure fine by the City regulator. The former corporate boss is believed to have been handed a “warning notice” by the Financial Services Authority, which has been investigating the bank’s buying spree [...]
Whitbread appoints Rogers to lead Costa expansion April 3, 2012 Whitbread said that Chris Rogers, currently group finance director, would take over as chief executive of its rapidly expanding coffee shop chain Costa Coffee in August, with a remit to drive international growth. Whitbread, which also owns budget hotel chain Premier Inn, said Rogers will head up Costa’s global business to drive forward a five [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHITBREAD’S RESULTS? February 29, 2012 JAMIE ROLLO | MORGAN STANLEY Whitbread has reported fourth quarter like-for-like sales growth of 1.8 per cent, in line with our expectations but with a slightly different mix…With a stronger performance at Costa balancing the slightly weaker performance at Premier Inn we do not expect to see changes to consensus for 2012. WYN ELLIS | [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF WHITBREAD’S RESULTS? February 28, 2012 JAMIE ROLLO | MORGAN STANLEY Whitbread has reported fourth quarter like-for-like sales growth of 1.8 per cent, in line with our expectations but with a slightly different mix…With a stronger performance at Costa balancing the slightly weaker performance at Premier Inn we do not expect to see changes to consensus for 2012. WYN ELLIS | [...]
Opulence and elegance in rural England May 13, 2012 I’ve been lucky enough to wake up to some spectacular sights: the glacial, serene Lake Lucerne in Switzerland; the endless, pulsing cityscape of Tokyo; the stark, rugged mountains of Aspen. On the right morning, though, few things can beat the understated grandeur of the rolling English countryside. The view from the window of the Cornflower [...]
Roughing it in style in Peru July 15, 2012 OF ALL the things one might expect to find at the bottom of a steep dell in the Peruvian rainforest, the rusted iron hulk of an ancient steamboat would not be high on the list. And yet I’m looking at just that scene: decades after the boat somehow came to rest here, its old funnel [...]
Burger King set to rejoin the US stock market April 4, 2012 BURGER King will flip back to the public markets less than two years after it was snapped up by a US private equity house. The world’s third-largest hamburger chain, currently owned by 3G Capital Management, has agreed to sell a 29 per cent stake to London-listed investment firm Justice Holdings for $1.4bn (£882m). Shares in [...]
RESTAURANT GROUP GETS OUT-OF-TOWN LIFT January 10, 2012 FRANKIE & Benny’s and Garfunkel owner Restaurant Group expects to report strong sales for 2011 as people shun high street chains and opt for its restaurants located in the suburbs, chief executive Andrew Page (inset) said yesterday. Restaurant Group bucked the downbeat leisure environment by selling more than 39m meals in 2011, up five per [...]
Burger King plans to go public again April 4, 2012 Hamburger chain Burger King said it plans go public through a deal with a London-listed investment firm, less than two years after it agreed to be taken private by private equity group 3G Capital Management. The quick sale highlights a profit improvement at Burger King’ Worldwide Holdings Inc, which operates more than 12,000 mainly franchise [...]