Dividends for AIM-listed firms soar to record heights September 9, 2019 The dividends paid by companies listed on the stock exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) exchange reached record highs in the first half of the year, and are on track to beat 2018’s record full-year total of £1.1bn. First-half AIM dividends climbed 23.9 per cent year on year to £633m, according to new figures from Link [...]
London startup Snyk secures $70m from Facebook investor Accel September 10, 2019 Cybersecurity firm Snyk has raised $70m (£56.7m) in funding, led by venture capital stalwart Accel, to fuel the next stage in its international expansion. The round was also supported by existing investors GV and Boldstart Ventures. It follows a $22m investment in September last year, taking the London and Boston-based startup’s total amount raised to [...]
UK retail industry battles ‘toughest ever’ trading conditions July 22, 2019 The health of the UK retail industry is on the brink of falling to record lows as shops battle some of the “toughest trading conditions they’ve ever experienced”. The Retail Health Index, which takes into account consumer demand, gross margins and costs, fell from 77 to 76 in the second quarter, financial services firm KPMG [...]
Podcast: Why invest in AIM shares? June 27, 2019 AIM is 24 years-old! To celebrate, our head of equity strategy Lee Wild and head of markets Richard Hunter discuss why it can be a happy hunting ground for investors, and how to do it successfully. AIM was launched in 1995, has a combined market capitalisation of more than £70 billion, and is home to [...]
Homebase closes in on Bathstore takeover July 19, 2019 Homebase is set to buy struggling retailer Bathstore after the UK’s largest bathroom specialist fell into administration three weeks ago. Administrators BDO have since been looking for a buyer to save the flagging chain, and now Homebase are close to agreeing a deal, according to The Telegraph. Read more: Homebase named UK’s worst retail website [...]
Retailer Koovs hangs hopes on 2020 growth despite drop in sales July 17, 2019 Indian fashion retailer Koovs said it is on track for a return to growth in 2020, despite a decline in sales over the last 12 months. The London-listed firm posted net sales of £7.5m in 2019, down from £9.6m the previous years, while revenue was flat at £6.4m. Shares in Koovs dropped more than six [...]
Britvic installs Tesco finance guru as new chief financial officer March 11, 2019 Soft drinks giant Britvic has brought in the financial boss of a firm which is part of Tesco as its chief financial officer, in a move which pushed shares up one per cent on Monday morning. The company, which acts as Pepsico’s producer in the UK, has appointed Joanne Wilson, who will leave her role as [...]
DEBATE: Is 4G on the Tube something to get excited about? July 22, 2019 Is 4G on the Tube something to get excited about? Ben Askins, managing director at Verb Brands, says YES. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you, I was on the Tube” is an anecdote that our grandchildren will be shocked by. While it’s true that no one will be able to stop the incoming onslaught [...]
A-SOS call: Four factors to blame for star online retailer’s shock profit warning December 17, 2018 Online fashion darling Asos' shares fell to their lowest since February 2016 this morning after a shock profit warning. Chief executive Nick Beighton said he's "astonished by an unprecedented level of discounting, something I've not seen before". At the time of writing, Asos was down more than 41 per cent to 2,439p. Here are four factors that led to Asos' [...]
City focuses on Boohoo as online giant hopes to defy retail gloom January 13, 2019 Online fashion giant Boohoo looks set to defy the gloom hanging over Britain’s retail industry later this week when it is expected to post another quarter of sharp sales growth. The City will be turning its attention towards the e-commer giant to see whether its festive fortunes were enough to buck a current trend of dismal [...]