Marketing spend is best in two years April 18, 2010 MARKETING budgets were raised in the first quarter of this year for the first time in ten quarters. Companies also remain upbeat about financial prospects, according to the latest IPA/BDO Bellwether survey. It found firms expect the ongoing economic recovery to gain momentum, and plan to raise their spending for 2010. Around 42 per cent [...]
High street sales jump April 11, 2010 A RISE in high street sales will add to hopes the economic recovery is on track, with a three per cent like-for-like rise expected for March. The figures, to be released later this week by the British Retail Consortium, and KPMG, will be a boon for a sector that has been decimated by the downturn. [...]
Confidence returns to UK businesses April 11, 2010 CONFIDENCE amongst UK businesses about the future of the economy has surged to pre-recessionary levels for the first time since the crisis hit at the end of 2007, according to the latest report by accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward. BDO’s Optimism index jumped from 99.4 to 103.2 in March, a high not seen since the [...]
Small businesses face mammoth fines as government cracks down on fraud April 5, 2010 FROM today the Information Commissioner’s Office (IOC) will have the power to fine small businesses up to £500,000 for losing clients’ confidential data. The new measures, which fall under data protection rules, were passed in Parliament three months ago and are part of the Government’s latest attempt to crack down on fraud. Previously the IOC [...]
Northern Rock shares worthless March 30, 2010 Former shareholders of Northern Rock are to be left with nothing after the mortgage lender’s independent valuer confirmed the company’s shares were worthless and there was no requirement to pay compensation to those who lost money when the government seized control of the business. In a report yesterday, independent valuer Andrew Caldwell of BDO said [...]
ITV returns to profit and predicts ad recovery March 3, 2010 ITV returned to profit during 2009 and has tipped advertising revenues to rise this year. The broadcaster made a £25m pre-tax profit for the 12 months to December 31, compared with a £2.73bn loss in the previous year. It said it anticipates advertising revenues rising by as much as 7 per cent in the first [...]
Daily Mail is confident of media revival February 10, 2010 NEWSPAPER group Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) today hinted that the media sector may be finding its feet after a very tough 2009 although it still remains cautious in its outlook. The FTSE 250 group saw revenue fall eight per cent on an underlying basis to £482m in the three months to December as [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: IS PUBLISHER YELL GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ? February 4, 2010 SAM HART| CHARLES STANLEY Although the company is being upbeat, the outlook is not good for Yell. The company has major structural issues and the move from print to online operations is a headache. Shares did rise after the statement but sales are down in the UK and elsewhere – there are more problems ahead. [...]
We will never know the full extent of City fraud February 1, 2010 ACCORDING to accountancy network BDO’s recent Fraudtrack survey, there was more than £2bn of reported fraud in 2009, a 76 per cent increase on the previous year. The chief motivator for fraud is – perhaps unsurprisingly – greed and a desire for a lavish lifestyle. Other possible motivators, such as debt, marital problems, drugs, alcohol, [...]
Confidence propels company valuations to two-year high January 24, 2010 Company valuations rose sharply last year to reach their highest levels since early 2007, according to an index by accountancy firm BDO. Public companies are now valued at an average multiple of 15.1 times earnings, up 78 per cent over the year. The value of private companies has risen to its highest level in two [...]