Sweet results for Coca-Cola bottler as it reports increased profit February 13, 2020 Bottler Coca-Cola HBC delivered full year revenue growth in every segment last year as operating profit grew more than 10 per cent to €715.3m. The figures Operating profit grew 11.9 per cent last year from €639.4m to €715.3m. Revenue for the full year grew by 4.4 per cent and revenue in the fourth quarter grew [...]
Retail bosses call for business rates reform in 2020 budget February 13, 2020 Major UK retailers, including Debenhams, Sainsbury’s and M&S, have this morning called on the chancellor to take action on business rates reform in the upcoming budget. Retail bosses representing some of the country’s biggest high street chains have written to Sajid Javid urging him to outline plans to reform the transitional relief system in the budget [...]
Restaurants and pubs boost sales during Dry January February 13, 2020 Restaurants and pubs had a strong start to the year despite sluggish growth in London, as they catered for vegan diets and Dry January, according to the latest research. The UK’s managed pub, bar and restaurant sector reported sales growth of 1.9 per cent in January compared to the same month last year, as relatively [...]
Dr Martens owner snaps up luxury trainer brand Golden Goose for €1.3bn February 12, 2020 Permira, the private equity owner of Dr Martens and Reformation, has snapped up Italian trainer brand Golden Goose for €1.28bn. US private equity firm Carlyle has sold its majority stake in the luxury fashion brand after buying the firm in 2017, the companies announced today. Permira was battling with rival private equity firm Advent and [...]
Coronavirus: Gucci owner scraps ad campaigns and store openings in China February 12, 2020 Luxury giant Kering, which owns fashion houses Gucci and Balenciaga, has said the coronavirus outbreak in China will hit sales trends and tourism flows in one of its major markets. The company has halted new store openings and ad campaigns in response to the deadly epidemic. in China which has seen cities go into lockdown [...]
M&S bolsters menswear team after skinny jeans fiasco February 12, 2020 Marks & Spencer (M&S) has appointed a new menswear buying director, after the retailer’s Christmas sales were dented when it ordered too many skinny jeans in the wrong sizes. M&S chief executive Steve Rowe has been battling to turn the clothing and home division around, but total revenue slumped 3.7 per cent in the third [...]
Heineken predicts 2020 profits will fizz February 12, 2020 Dutch lager giant Heineken expects lower barley and aluminium prices to boost 2020 profits, it said today. The second largest brewer in the world, whose product is Europe’s top selling lager, also expects higher volumes and prices to boost revenues this year. This is in addition to a customer shift towards more expensive drinks. Heineken’s [...]
Angry Birds maker Rovio sees profit collapse in final quarter February 12, 2020 Rovio, the games firm behind Angry Birds saw quarterly profit plummet 96 per cent after its new 5G platform Hatch failed to take flight. Rovio, which saw its shares fall 15 per cent this morning, said that the roll out of 5G networks had been slower than expected and had had a knock-on effect on [...]
Sainsbury’s Bank chairman Roger Davis steps down February 12, 2020 Sainsbury’s Bank has started a search for a new chair after Roger Davis told the board he intends to step down from the role. Davis has chaired the bank’s board for almost seven years. Sainsbury’s said the search to find Davis’s replacement had begun and that further announcements regarding the timings of his retirement and [...]
Plus500’s 2019 profits sink after regulatory crackdown February 12, 2020 Plus500 revealed plummeting profits for its 2019 financial year today, but said market volatility boosted trading volumes in the second half. The figures Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) sank 62 per cent year on year from $506m (£390.2m) to just $192.3m. Two-thirds of that was booked in the second half of the [...]