All articles by George MacDonald – Page 182
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NewsElectricals drive weekly sales rise at John Lewis
Sales at department store chain John Lewis rose 1.4% last week to £58.6m, when electricals and home technology was once again the top performing category.
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NewsTopps’ tumble spells trouble for sector
Analysts warned that Topps Tiles’ profit warning last week could signal weak trading for the wider home-related retail sector.
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NewsMorrisons downgraded despite outperforming
Broker Oriel has downgraded Morrisons ahead of the grocer’s interims next Thursday.
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NewsTempleman exits Debenhams as Sharp takes over the hot seat
Rob Templeman formally hands over the reins at department store group Debenhams on Monday, when he will be succeeded as chief executive by Michael Sharp.
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Opinion
Time to make a judgement call
Two of the retailers most mauled by the bears update next week, electricals group Dixons and Argos owner Home Retail.
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News
Analysts confident the only way is up for retail shares
Analysts believe store stocks are unlikely to crash further, despite big-name retail shares plunging last week, when specialist Topps Tiles also issued a profit warning.
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NewsBig names suffer amid tough trading concerns
Shop stocks were out of favour in the wake of a profit warning from Topps Tiles, with bearish notes on some of the sector’s biggest names and general heebie-jeebies about trading.
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NewsBurberry switches marketing spend into digital media
Luxury fashion group Burberry now allocates 60% of its marketing budget to digital media – more than three times the average.
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NewsCountrywide launches own-brand value offer
Rural specialist Countrywide is to launch a value range to enhance its appeal to shoppers and protect margin during tough trading conditions.
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NewsConsumer confidence slides to recessionary low
Consumer confidence fell in August back to its level in April and only matched during the turbulent periods of 2008/09 and in early 1990.
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GalleryIn pictures: M&S drafts in new celebs to front brand ad campaigns
Marks & Spencer has drafted in new celebrity faces to front print, in-store and online campaigns which focus for the first time on brands including Autograph.
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NewsOcado urged to shelve plans for second fulfilment centre
Online grocer Ocado should abandon plans for a £210m second customer fulfilment centre until it proves that it has a viable business from its first, according to a leading broker.
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NewsCredit insurers put value clothing retailers on watch list
Value clothing retailers are coming under increasing scrutiny from credit insurers as trading conditions remain tough.
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NewsTesco looks East for funds with 'dim sum' bond issue
Grocery giant Tesco has become the first international retailer to raise money in China with the issue of a ‘dim sum’ bond.
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NewsSales of tablets outstrip desktops for first time at John Lewis
Tablet computers outsold desktop PCs for the first time last week at department store chain John Lewis, which posted a total weekly sales rise of 2.6% to £53.4m.
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AnalysisPeter Williams
At home with both the glamour of Selfridges and the gloom of turnarounds, Peter Williams’ latest challenge is working with Blacks. George MacDonald finds out what drives him
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OpinionPreparing for the golden quarter
After the dog days of August, the sector springs into action again in early September.
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NewsSuperGroup hires supply and sourcing experts to boost team
Fashion retailer SuperGroup has made two key appointments to support continued rapid growth.
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NewsRetail shares slide along with market
General retailers were on the slide along with the market during the week, although the fall in grocers’ share prices was much less marked.
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NewsCountrywide seeks acquisitions as sales rise
Rural specialist Countrywide is on the look-out for acquisitions after maintaining retail profitability and increasing sales last year.