London Report: FTSE edges up despite drop in Barclays stock July 29, 2013 BRITAIN’S FTSE 100 edged higher yesterday, with healthcare and media sectors bolstered by transatlantic merger activity, helping outweigh a steep sell off in Barclays. Drugmaker Shire – long viewed as a takeover target – added 2.4 per cent after US generic rival Perrigo agreed to buy Ireland’s Elan for $8.6bn (£5.6bn). A proposed merger between [...]
The real Willy Wonka is as experimental as ever September 10, 2013 Think you love chocolate the most? Elizabeth Fournier meets choc-God Paul A Young IT’S NOT hard to be passionate about chocolate, but Paul A Young takes it to a whole new level. Reviewers and customers alike may wax lyrical about his imaginative creations, which include Marmite brownies and Eccles cake truffles. Get him talking on [...]
King of the supermarket: The long-serving boss of Sainsbury’s talks shop September 1, 2013 Justin King speaks to Elizabeth Fournier as he nears 10 years at the top of the UK’s third-biggest retailer IT’S not been an easy 2013 for Britain’s supermarkets. From January’s discovery of horsemeat in the UK food chain to the disastrous collapse of a Bangladeshi clothing factory in April, retail bosses have been forced to [...]
Reflections on Tulchan’s demise at Marks & Spencer February 14, 2013 FOUR weeks ago I asked Andrew Grant of Tulchan a simple question. Had his firm been fired from the retailer Marks & Spencer as its external financial public relations adviser, following the leaking of its annual results which forced their rushed and premature publication? Grant, rightly known for being courteous, well-informed and straightforward, responded that [...]
Sir Stuart Rose takes the hot seat at Ocado January 22, 2013 SIR STUART Rose, the former boss of Marks & Spencer, is to become chairman of Ocado, in a major coup for the online retailer. The company said Sir Stuart is to replace Sir Michael Grade after its annual general meeting in May. Grade, best known for his roles at ITV and Channel Four, will be [...]
Christmas countdown for rival high street retailers December 4, 2012 AS we move into the final countdown to Christmas, our high street department stores are pulling out all the stops. Looking back over 2012, the race between Marks & Spencer and John Lewis has never been tighter. YouGov’s BrandIndex highlights how the two brands began the year with six points separating their Index scores – [...]
Supermarket Ocado edges towards profit February 7, 2013 ONLINE grocer Ocado yesterday narrowed year-end losses from £2.4m to just £600,000 as it edged ever closer towards profitability, easing the concerns of long-suffering investors. Shares in the company, which has not made a profit since it began trading thirteen years ago, yesterday closed up 11 per cent at 115.9p. This is still well below [...]
Marks & Spencer hit by summer rains July 10, 2012 Retailer Marks & Spencer posted its worst underlying quarterly sales performance for three and a half years after the wettest April and June since records began hammered trade in womenswear. The firm, which sells clothes, footwear and homewares as well as upmarket foods, also said on Tuesday that the head of its non-food business Kate [...]
The good, the bad January 10, 2013 THE DIVIDED state of the UK retail sector was brought into sharp focus yesterday as an upbeat Tesco and Shop Direct claimed victory in the Christmas retail wars, while Marks and Spencer suffered the fallout of a worse-than-expected festive period. Following muted performances by rivals Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, a resurgent Tesco revealed its strongest sales [...]
M&S expected to reveal weak non-food sales July 8, 2012 RETAIL giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) is expected to announce weak first-quarter sales at its annual meeting tomorrow, after clothing sales were hit hard by the poor weather. A consensus forecast of 12 analysts compiled by the company predicts a 6.7 per cent drop in clothing and homeware sales compared to the same period last [...]