Ibstock hikes brick production as UK construction market picks up June 11, 2025 Brick manufacturer Ibstock has reinstated production capacity at several factories, providing a boost to Britain’s building materials shortage. The move is a bet on the building market’s recovery, with higher production capacity ensuring the company is “well placed to benefit from the recovery as it gathers pace.” Ibstock, which holds a 40 per cent share of the [...]
Fuller’s toasts stellar year as Brits flock to pubs June 11, 2025 Hospitality giant Fuller, Smith & Turner has become the latest UK pub chain to report a stellar year of trading as Brits continue to head to pubs despite financial constraints. The FTSE 250 company told markets this morning that revenue rose 4.8 per cent to £376.3m in the 52 weeks to March 29. Like for [...]
Dr Martens: Shoemaker broadens range of sandals and bags as profit plummets June 5, 2025 Dr Martens has announced a new strategic focus after a bruising year which saw the brand nearly fall into the red. It will move away from a narrow focus on boots to a much broader approach targeting shoes, sandals and bags via a strategy called “Levers for Growth”. “Our ambition is to establish Dr. Martens as the world’s [...]
WH Smith nears sale of high street chain as revenue rises June 4, 2025 WH Smith has confirmed it remains on track to sell its high street division to the owner of Hobbycraft by the end of the month. In March, the FTSE 250 company announced it had agreed to offload the arm to private equity firm Modella in a deal which valued it at £76m. When complete, the [...]
B&M: Revenue ticks up as new stores outperform June 4, 2025 Discount retailer B&M has reported a bump in its full-year earnings after progress in France and a better-than-anticipated performance at its new stores. The London-listed Luxembourg-headquartered company reported revenue of £5.57bn in the 52 weeks ended March 29, up 3.7 per cent year on year. It said the higher revenue was “primarily driven” by the contribution [...]
MJ Gleeson: Shares plummet after profit warning as property market struggles June 3, 2025 Housebuilder MJ Gleeson has warned of a 15-20 per cent hit to its profit this year due to a slow housing market recovery and the collapse of a land sale in Yorkshire. The company told markets this morning that the pace of housing market recovery in the UK has “not been sufficient” to offset the [...]
British American Tobacco ups guidance on US return to growth June 3, 2025 Pall Mall and Lucky Strike owner British American Tobacco (BAT) has said its American business has returned to growth, driven by smokeless products. In a trading update, the company said its combustible products – cigarettes and cigars – are expected to return to growth in the first half of the year, while its nicotine pouches Velo [...]
Ghost Ship producer Adnams slashes losses May 29, 2025 Ghost Ship producer Adnams has halved its operating loss amid a commercial turnaround plan, although retail sales continue to suffer. The Suffolk-based company, which makes cask ale, bottled beers and spirits, said that sales increased three per cent to £68.1m in the 12 months ended December 31. Its operating loss shrank by more than half, [...]
Greggs gains momentum after lacklustre start to the year May 20, 2025 Greggs has reported an uptick in sales boosted by its expanded food and drink offering. Its share price rose six per cent as investors cheered the return to strong trading. The FTSE 250 company reported a 2.9 per cent increase in sales in the 20 weeks to May 17, an improvement from 1.7 per cent [...]
Premier Foods: Mr Kipling maker ups dividend on strong growth May 15, 2025 Revenue at Premier Foods jumped last year, driven by growth in branded goods and international sales. The Mr Kipling owner told markets this morning that adjusted profit before tax rose 8.8 per cent to £169.3m in the year ended March 29. Profit after tax rose 11 per cent, with basic earnings per share up 10 [...]