In the market for disruption: SapientNitro chief executive Nigel Vaz on consumer expectations October 25, 2015 Most disruptive companies have certain characteristics in common. They adapt constantly to stay ahead of the curve, they are dedicated to digital and deliver excellent customer service. Nigel Vaz, global chief strategy officer and European chief executive of SapientNitro, likens such businesses to gryphons – mythical hybrids with the wings of an eagle and the [...]
Former Marks & Spencer boss Lord Stuart Rose backs Select Property Group August 24, 2015 There is a new new retail club in town and it’s called Select Property Group. Former Marks & Spencer chairman Lord Stuart Rose has emerged as a surprise backer in the privately-owned developer, which operates a swathe of student housing and is about to launch its first block of serviced flats in Manchester. He has [...]
Jerky Group and Cruga form beef snacks empire August 4, 2015 THE JERKY Group has merged with biltong and meat snacks-maker Cruga to create the largest beef snack manufacturer in Europe with combined turnover of around £12m. Founded in 2000, The Jerky Group’s brands include Wild West Jerky, Hogbites pork crackling and BullOx Biltong. It also produces Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Joe Walters’ beef jerky brand Texas [...]
Next’s share price jumps as it raises profit forecast after better than expected first half July 28, 2015 Next's share price jumped 1.4 per cent this morning, after raising its profit guidance for the full year following better than expected sales in the first half of this year. The high street chain is really showing Marks & Spencer how to do it. While its high street rival is struggling to get its [...]
The Jerky Group and Cruga merge to create £24m beef snacks empire August 3, 2015 The Jerky Group has struck a deal to merge with biltong and meat snacks-maker Cruga to create the largest beef snack manufacturer in Europe with a combined turnover of around £12m. Founded in 2000, The Jerky Group’s brands include Wild West Jerky, Hogbites pork crackling and BullOx Biltong. It also produces Dragon’ Den entrepreneur Joe Walters’ [...]
The fast lane: Spencer Ogden co-founder David Spencer-Percival talks medevacs, detoxes, the youth of today and why banks get a hard time June 7, 2015 It is unlikely that David Spencer-Percival, co-founder of Spencer Ogden, will be reading this any time soon. On Saturday, he and his wife embarked on a caffeine, alcohol and tech detox in an Ibizan forest. “I feel frazzled. Our offices are end-to-end in terms of timezones, so I just never stop. You have to have [...]
St Modwen hails record profits as New Covent Garden Market scheme boosts net asset value June 30, 2015 St Modwen posted a 21 per cent surge in net asset value (Nav) in the first half of the year thanks to its New Covent Garden Market scheme in Nine Elms, which achieved unconditional status in April. The developer reported an Nav per share of 394p after its planned overhaul of the UK’s biggest fruit [...]
Marks & Spencer slips back into decline after just one quarter of growth July 7, 2015 Marks and Spencer's general merchandise arm has slipped back into decline following just one quarter of growth. The figures: M&S' story is pretty much the same as it has been for many months. Total sales in general merchandise were up 0.2 per cent but like-for-likes were down 0.4 per cent, reversing a solitary [...]
Best of the Brokers for 3 June 2015 June 2, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com BRITVIC Deutsche Bank initiated coverage of Britvic at “hold” with a 750p price target. The broker said the same three drivers of the investment case in 2005 apply in 2015: a top line driven by innovation, strong cost management and some hope on [...]
Dunelm founder Bill Adderley sells majority of his stake in Marks & Spencer May 31, 2015 Bill Adderley, the billionaire founder of homeware retailer Dunelm, has sold most of his shares in Marks & Spencer three years after building up a stake to become the firm’s largest private shareholder. Adderley has sold two thirds of his three per cent stake in M&S, telling the Sunday Times that there were “a couple [...]