Unilever sells peanut butter January 3, 2013 HORMEL Foods has agreed to buy Skippy, the iconic US peanut butter brand, from Unilever for $700m (£435m), adding it to a portfolio that includes Spam canned meat. The deal also gives Hormel, bigger global presence, including in markets such as China where Skippy is the leading peanut butter brand. Consumer goods conglomerate Unilever said [...]
Women land a quarter of new directorships October 6, 2013 WOMEN are taking a quarter of new appointments to the boards of FTSE 100 companies, according to figures released today by a group pushing for greater equality at the top of public companies. All but six firms at the top level of British business now have a women on their board. Campaigners said business is [...]
Ex-Diageo boss Walsh joins United Spirits August 19, 2013 FORMER Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh is joining the board of Indian drinks group United Spirits, six weeks after Diageo became a major shareholder in the firm. Walsh, who stepped down from the top job at London-listed Diageo in July after 13 years, was yesterday appointed to the board of United with immediate effect. Diageo [...]
Unilever boosts FTSE 100 as it edges towards 6,200 January 23, 2013 The leading share index edged up towards the 6,200 level this morning, led by consumer goods group Unilever. The stock was the strongest riser on the FTSE 100 this morning, on the back of a buoyant trading statement. Turnover jumped 10.5 per cent in 2012, boosted by growth in emerging markets. Martin Deboo at Investec [...]
New acting finance chief for Michael Page as recruiter anticipates challenging fourth quarter October 14, 2013 British-based recruitment company Michael Page has announced the appointment of a new acting chief financial officer, as it reports year-on-year profit up 0.4 per cent. However, the company expects a challenging fourth quarter. Chief executive officer Steve Ingham says the firm has seen "another robust performance in the third quarter, against a backdrop of challenging, [...]
Rothschild to advise on Poundland’s flotation November 4, 2013 BUDGET retailer Poundland has lined up Rothschild to advise on its upcoming public offering, which is expected to value the firm at more than £700m. The investment bank, which declined to comment on the issue, is expected to bring in other advisers to work on the flotation in the next few weeks. Poundland – which [...]
Analyst Views | What do you think of unilever’s results? January 23, 2013 GRAHAM JONES PANMURE GORDON With two recent disposals in US foods, we expect Unilever to continue its favourable skew to faster growing categories in 2013. It is encouraging to see cash flow improving…The outlook remains the same; further sales growth ahead of the market and continued steady and sustainable margin expansion. MARTIN DEBOO INVESTEC Unilever’s [...]
The big brands changing hands August 12, 2013 A HOST of big name brands were caught up in a swirl of M&A activity yesterday as dealmakers shunned the traditionally quiet August period to push through a raft of deals. Soup maker Campbell Soups, Steinway Musical Instruments, tinned fruit producer Dole and packaging business Pinnacle all announced deals yesterday in one of the [...]
Inside Track: Carney must act to stop new EU rules hitting UK banks November 6, 2013 Well that didn’t last long. Optimism about a rapprochement between the Bank of England and major international banks has had the City bewitched since Mark Carney’s intervention last month to relax liquidity rules, marking a distinct break with the approach of his predecessor, Lord King. It may not be quite that straightforward: two subsequent developments [...]
Western retail business looks to Russian capital for new markets September 3, 2013 EUROPEAN retailers are increasingly shifting their focus eastwards, as Moscow becomes a top destination for shoppers and consumer spending. Mark Faithfull, the editor of Retail Property Analyst, said: “Moscow is the obvious starting point for international retailers looking to expand”. He added that while luxury products were the first to find the market, familiar brands [...]