Same-store sales drop at H&M August 15, 2011 H&M, the world’s second-largest clothes retailer, said yesterday that its like-for-like sales fell six per cent in July as it suffered from weak consumer sentiment in Europe, its most profitable region. Sales at the group rose by three per cent in total, but comparables were poor once the 240 new stores opened over the past [...]
Hamilton’s US victory aids his old foe Alonso November 18, 2012 BRITAIN’S Lewis Hamilton did his old nemesis Fernando Alonso a huge favour in last night’s American Grand Prix, by pipping the Ferrari driver’s championship rival Sebastian Vettel to the chequered flag. Hamilton’s superb win in Texas has set up a thrilling finale to the Formula One season as Alonso and Vettel will go head to [...]
The Lexus Ultimate Yacht Experience September 16, 2012 YOU MAY ask yourself why Lexus is taking people on a yacht to the Isle of Wight. Well, because there is more to the Lexus brand than making cars. Its “Experiences” packages, which are available to anyone, not just those who own a Lexus, range from chocolate tasting to shooting trips. I’m always one to [...]
Before the open – 01/08 August 1, 2013 Asian shares were up last night on the back of unexpected good manufacturing data from July. The NBS purchasing managers’ index came in at 50.3 – up from 50.1 the month before and above expectations of 49.8 (above 50 indicates growth, below contraction). HSBC’s measure of manufacturing PMI, however, said the industry shrank, coming in [...]
G4S takes £50m hit from Olympics contract fiasco August 28, 2012 Security firm G4S, at the centre of a political and media storm over its failure to provide enough guards for the London Olympics, said the fiasco would cost it £50m and it was fighting to rebuild its reputation. Under-fire boss Nick Buckles, hauled before MPs last month to explain why troops had to be drafted [...]
VERSACE TO DESIGN FOR H&M June 21, 2011 H&M yesterday announced that Versace would be its next guest designer. The Versace line will hit some 300 H&M stores worldwide in November and “will look back on the heritage of the brand, full of leather, print, colour and exuberance in exclusive materials”. A further collection, also designed by Donatella Versace (above, centre left), will [...]
NEWS from the SHOP March 29, 2012 Ted Baker quick to the draw with its new Spring/Summer menswear collection Ted Baker launched its menswear Spring/Summer collection this month, rather grandiosely dubbed The Great Exhibitionist and His Private Views. Its business-wear range focuses on suits in taupe, silver and navy jacquard, with a tendency towards lustrous material – very indicative of the bolder [...]
Cineworld banking on 007 and Batman for second half growth August 16, 2012 CINEWORLD, Britain’s biggest movie theatre group, said it expects performance to pick up in the coming months as blockbusters including the new James Bond film are released. The company posted a modest rise in revenues in the first half of the year to £165m, as a five per cent hike in ticket prices offset a [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS January 24, 2012 RYANAIR Espirito Santo rates the airline “buy” and has a target price of €4.60. The broker is expecting the firm to post a net loss of €18m in its quarterly results next week, on revenues of €806m. It thinks Ryanair’s current trading is on track and that the firm’s decision to cut capacity over the [...]
H&M PROFIT HIT BY RISING COSTS June 22, 2011 Hennes & Mauritz, the world’s second-largest fashion retailer, posted an 18 per cent fall in second-quarter pre-tax profit yesterday, showing the impact of higher cotton prices, rising wages in Asia and a strong Swedish crown. Profit fell to 5.75bn crowns (£558m) from 7.04bn a year earlier. H&M said it had kept product prices down in [...]