Joules’ countryside style strikes a chord with shoppers as profits soar September 7, 2016 Profits soared at premium, country-style retailer Joules last year, topping off a "transformational" period for the clothing and accessories group which launched on the AIM in May. The figures Profit before tax shot up by 41.5 per cent to £7.5m in the 52 weeks to 29 May, up from £5.3m in 2015, while basic earnings per share ballooned by [...]
City Moves for 31 August 2016 | Who’s switching jobs August 31, 2016 Game Digital Game Digital has appointed Guy Lister as chief operating officer. The newly created role, reporting directly to Game Digital CEO, Martyn Gibbs, will see Guy lead all areas of Game Digital’s UK retail operations, including stores and eCommerce, supply chain, marketing and finance functions. Guy joins from Office Shoes where he was chief customer and marketing officer. [...]
Ready, Aim – float: IPO activity on London’s junior market is booming this year August 11, 2016 Time Out, Joules, Hotel Chocolat and a northern discount loo roll business called Accrol are among the 27 companies to have floated on London’s junior market so far this year. While the London Stock Exchange’s main market, in common with other big exchanges, has experienced a slowdown in initial public offerings (IPOs) this year, the alternative [...]
Fitness of European IPO market boosted by recent activity flurry May 17, 2016 A Dutch fitness chain has become the latest company to announce plans for a flotation amid a recent flurry of European activity. Basic-Fit operates 351 clubs across Europe and has more than one million members. Read more: IPOh yeah! Signs of life in London's flotation market The company, which operates across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, [...]
Sports Direct in surprise Austin Reed bid May 8, 2016 Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley is thought to have thrown his hat in the ring for menswear retailer Austin Reed. It is understood that Ashley has tabled a surprise £30m bid for Austin Reed which went into administration at the end of last month. Administrators Alix Partners are thought to have received around 50 expressions of [...]
Signs of life in London’s flotation market as firms consider IPO options May 3, 2016 There are signs of life in London's flotation market after a slow start to the year. Furniture retailer The Range and store card maker NewDay are both considering initial public offerings (IPOs), which could value each company at more than £1bn. Today, audio visual and document solutions distributor Midwich announced it had raised £75m through a [...]
Is Aim about to get a new Joules in its crown? Fashion retail unveils plans for £140m IPO May 3, 2016 Joules has announced plans to bring its colourful wellies and country-style clothes to London's junior market with a £140m listing. The fashion and lifestyle retailer said the initial public offering will take place in the second quarter of the year, with its founder Tom Joule expected to sell down his 80 per cent stake to less than 50 [...]
As Barclays bans jeans and flip-flops at its head office, is it right to clamp down on casual dress? August 9, 2015 Jeff Watt, director of Greentarget, says Yes. Some might say that the clothes don’t make the man, but in my view, flip-flops are for the beach, not the boardroom. The introduction of dress down Friday – or #DDF, as the Twitter generation might call it – resulted in most men simply adopting another form of [...]
Police Federation calls for all UK officers to have tasers to defend against terrorists January 31, 2015 All police officers in the UK could be about to get tasers as fears grow over a possible terrorist attack aimed at members of the police force. According to the Guardian, Steve White, the chairman of the Police Federation, has called for a change from the current system where 10 per cent of officers carry [...]
Lloyds spends £22m on minority stake in fashion retailer Joules November 4, 2013 THE TAXPAYER has become a top shareholder in the well-heeled welly and clothing maker Joules after Lloyds’ private equity arm snapped up a stake in the business. Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) said yesterday that it has paid £22m for a minority stake in the country clothing brand, a move that is likely to have triggered [...]