We meet Annabel Karmel, the celebrity cook who leaves children hungry for more May 14, 2018 Annabel Karmel comes bounding into the room like a bundle of sunshine. With her yellow dress and immaculate makeup, she seems a world apart from the drab Bloomsbury bar where we meet. For millions of parents, Karmel is a household name, with major supermarkets stocking her baby and toddler food. It was her first book, [...]
Last Week in the City: England has an 8.5% chance of winning the World Cup May 18, 2018 Garry White, chief investment commentator, looks at the market-moving events that have shaped the UK equity markets this week (14 to 18 May 2018). UBS has used its City analysts’ predictive firepower to try and work out the winner of the upcoming World Cup in Russia – and England came surprisingly high in its league [...]
Investors ignore disruptive weather at their peril March 5, 2018 The "Beast from the East" closed schools, kept trains in their sidings and hit Britain's productivity. But can inclement weather move the stock market by affecting investors' minds? Findings of a research project published in the Journal of Accounting Research in 2015 concluded that financial analysts respond more slowly to the implications of earnings announcements [...]
Marks & Spencer loses another senior executive as Laura Wade-Gery steps down September 12, 2016 Marks & Spencer has confirmed the woman who oversaw the launch of its website is stepping down. In a statement today the retailer said Laura Wade-Gery, its executive director of multi-channel, will not return from maternity leave. Wade-Gery, who oversaw the rocky launch of M&S' website last year, will step down from the board immediately, and [...]
Retailers’ share prices stung by the rise in the national living wage in the Autumn Statement November 23, 2016 Retailer's share prices are suffering this afternoon after chancellor Philip Hammond said the national living wage would rise in April next year. The national living wage hourly rate will increase from £7.20 an hour £7.50 an hour in 2017, Hammond said. Read more: The National Living Wage is going up again next April The change [...]
Marks & Spencer is in a pay row with staff and could be axing 500 jobs. Is it time to split the retailer in two? September 5, 2016 Marks & Spencer’s famous adverts (“These are not just potatoes, these are pan-shaken ready-to-roast extra-crispy King Edward potatoes…”) may have stayed ripe for mockery for over a decade, but between our guffaws lies a reluctant acceptance that the branding is absolutely spot on. M&S food halls have been a roaring success, especially among the millions of Brits [...]
Marks and Spencer, Carlsberg, Young & Co Brewery: Best of the Brokers for 13 November 2015 November 13, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com MARKS AND SPENCER RBC Capital Markets liked what they saw at Marks & Spencer’s summer season 2016 clothing preview so much, they made the retailer RBC’s “top pick” with a target price of 700p. The broker said he was encouraged M&S was [...]
BMW workers vote in favour of strikes at UK factories over final salary pension closure November 8, 2016 The number of Minis and Rolls-Royce cars rolling off the production lines in the UK could be considerably disrupted after thousands of workers balloted in favour of strike action. BMW, which owns the two iconic brands, is planning to close its UK final salary pension scheme. Read more: Unite ready to fight BMW over pension changes A raft of [...]
Marks and Spencer, Randgold Resources, Partnership Assurance: Best of the Brokers for 6 November 2015 November 6, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com MARKS AND SPENCER Canaccord Genuity has changed its rating for Marks & Spencer to “hold” with a target price of 570p, after it was briefly “under review” and previously “speculative buy” at 550p. M&S released interim results on Wednesday that the broker thought [...]
House of Fraser CEO Nigel Oddy has resigned after less than two years at the helm as Christmas trading looms November 27, 2016 House of Fraser chief executive Nigel Oddy has resigned less than two years after taking up the post, leaving the retailer hunting for a new boss at the start of the vital Christmas trading period. Oddy will leave at some point in the new year once the company’s board has found his replacement, the company confirmed. [...]