All articles by George MacDonald – Page 243
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News
Wickes owner Travis Perkins reports profits plunge
Builders’ merchant Travis Perkins has posted a plunge in preliminary profits but said its Wickes DIY chain has made a good start to the new financial year in key categories.
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News
Thorntons posts 39% interim profit fall
Confectioner Thorntons’ profits plunged in the first half when sales at company-owned stores fell and margins suffered during highly promotional trading conditions.
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News
Wal-Mart posts quarterly profit fall despite record sales
Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer, has reported a 7.7 per cent fall in fourth quarter profits after being hit by the costs of legal action and exchange rates.
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News
Asda revives 'pocket-tap' ads as sales climb
Asda is to reinstate its famous ‘pocket tap’ in TV ads to consolidate its appeal to value-conscious shoppers nostalgic for reassurance in the uncertain economic climate.
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News
Tony Page to relaunch Woolworths stores under new name
Former Woolworths commercial chief Tony Page has secured 10m financing and intends to relaunch the variety store chain under a new name.
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News
Marks & Spencer seeks better supplier terms to counter sterling fall
Marks & Spencer is reported to have turned the screws on suppliers as it battles to cope with sterling’s fall in value.
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News
Sainsbury's ousts Asda as cheapest supermarket
Sainsbury’s has usurped Asda as the cheapest of the big grocers, according to the latest study by price comparison service MySupermarket.com.
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News
JJB secures lending extension
JJB Sports has secured an extension of lending arrangements for a month dependent upon progress with the proposed sale of its fitness clubs division.
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Opinion
The right to backing
As flagged in this column last autumn, potential rights issues by retailers have accelerated up the agenda.
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News
WHSmith directors sell shares
WHSmith directors yesterday sold further tranches of optioned shares – the second round of such disposals in a week.
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News
Morrisons fires new salvo in grocery price war
Supermarket group Morrisons has intensified the grocery price war by slashing the prices of 4,000 products.
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News
Baugur stakes in retailers seized
Baugur stakes in retailers including House of Fraser, Hamleys, and Iceland have been placed under the control of nominated receivers to prevent any asset sale.
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News
Signet sales fall prompts cash and costs focus
Anglo-American jeweller Signet is to slash costs and concentrate on cash generation after suffering a fourth-quarter sales slump.
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News
Marks & Spencer wins £3.5m teacake tax battle
Marks & Spencer has won a landmark VAT battle about whether a chocolate-covered teacake should be treated as a biscuit or a cake.
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News
Food trails behind rest of sector as reporting season concludes
General retail stocks led the pack while food groups lagged a wider market rise as the January reporting season drew to a close.
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Analysis
Exclusive research: Are consumers retail's biggest fans?
There’s no more important backer of UK retail than consumers, but what do they really think of the industry? Exclusive ICM research paints a mixed picture.
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Opinion
Troubled Stylo acts with honour
“This is not about the mass closure of Barratts, it’s quite the opposite. What’s been put out for creditors to vote on is the rescue of the company.”
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News
Vulture funds circle UK retailers
UK retail is among the sectors likely to be most actively targeted this year by so-called vulture funds that invest in distressed companies.
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News
Pre-packs to be policed more actively, regulator warns
Pre-pack administrations, the controversial insolvency process that has been deployed by several troubled retailers, will be more closely scrutinised by regulators in future.
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News
Argos changes tack on prices
Catalogue store group Argos has jettisoned a long-standing element of its price promotion strategy and introduced a new marketing strapline to emphasise its value credentials.