B&M to open 50 UK stores this year despite retail doom and gloom May 23, 2019 Discount retailer B&M said today it plans to open 50 shops this year, despite the wider gloom in the UK retail sector. B&M grew revenue 17 per cent to £3.4bn and profit before tax 8.7 per cent to £249.4m in the 52 weeks to 30 March. The company said it opened 44 new stores in the financial [...]
DEBATE: Does the Jamie’s Italian chain have only itself to blame for its demise? May 23, 2019 Does the Jamie’s Italian chain have only itself to blame for its demise? Patrick Clover, founder and chief executive of BLACKBX, says YES. It’s a sad story for all involved, not least the 1,000 workers made redundant, but to call Jamie’s Italian a victim of external forces is too simplistic. The climate for mid-market restaurants [...]
Drink to that: Young’s pub chain hails profit growth and hikes dividend May 23, 2019 Pub group Young’s hailed robust profit and revenue growth in its latest financial year today, but warned investors of a “tough start” to 2019 after the World Cup fuelled a strong summer in 2018. Read more: City Pub Group cheers investors with sales rise as expansion continues The figures Profit before tax climbed 5.1 per [...]
Arcadia to shut two dozen stores and withdraw from the US in radical rescue plan May 22, 2019 Sir Philip Green’s retail empire Arcadia will shut almost two dozen stores and slash up to 500 jobs as part of a restructuring plan revealed today. The high street stalwart said it has launched seven company voluntary arrangements (CVA) as part of a desperate plan to turn around its ailing fortunes amid torrid trading conditions. [...]
World’s largest cannabis company Canopy Growth snaps up beauty brand This Works for £43m May 22, 2019 Cannabis giant Canopy Growth has bought UK beauty brand This Works for £43m as it looks to roll out CBD-infused skincare and sleep products. Canopy Growth, which is the world’s largest cannabis company by market capitalisation, said it has finalised a sky-high cash transaction to buy the London-headquartered skincare firm. Read more: The green rush? [...]
Sir Philip Green prepares to launch Arcadia restructuring plan May 22, 2019 Sir Philip Green is preparing to launch a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) restructuring of his Arcadia retail empire. The plans, which are expected to be announced by the end of the week, would see landlords handed a shareholding of more than one-third of the business, Sky News reported. Read more: Sir Philip Green loses his [...]
Pret A Manger eats Eat but vows to go veggie in new stores May 22, 2019 Sandwich chain Pret A Manger said today it has agreed to buy rival British chain Eat. Pret plans to convert as many of Eat’s shops as possible to Pret stores serving vegetarian food in response to what it said was a growing consumer demand for more vegan and vegetarian options on the high street. Pret’s chief [...]
Four key things we learned from Marks & Spencer’s results May 22, 2019 There were not expectations of a strong set of results from Marks & Spencer today. The profit drop was expected and profit before tax of £532m was actually in the higher end of the forecast range. However, a share price decline of four per cent shows that these were still a disappointing set of results for investors. [...]
Superdry appoints interim finance chief after boardroom exodus May 22, 2019 Superdry has appointed a new interim finance chief after the return of founder Julian Dunkerton sparked a mass exodus from the board. Nick Gresham, the current chief financial officer of sports and cycling retailer Wiggle, will join the company on 3 June, succeeding Ed Baker who resigned in April after investors narrowly voted in favour [...]
Pets At Home shares rise as profits plummet almost 40 per cent amid restructure plan May 22, 2019 Pets At Home saw profits plunge almost 40 per cent last year as it set aside more than £40m for a huge restructure programme, it revealed today, but the set of results still beat low market expectations to send shares climbing. Read more: Short sellers tailing off at Pets at Home The figures Profit before tax [...]