More finance – Page 138
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OpinionComment: How is WHSmith still managing to make money?
Many people will be left shaking their heads in wonder today when they find out that WHSmith’s pre-tax profits for the year to the end of August have risen 10% to £102m.
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OpinionComment: Tesco UK recovery likely to accelerate
Tesco boss Philip Clarke will not have thanked the way the financial stars aligned this week to bring Tesco and Sainsbury’s results on the same day, albeit for different reporting periods.
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Why Esprit and H&M fail to match Inditex’s growth
It has been a mixed couple of weeks for some of the leading global fashion chains. Inditex continued its stellar performance with half-year profits jumping by almost a third as it sustained growth in sluggish economies in both Western Europe and emerging markets.
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AnalysisAnalysis: Retailers rally for 2013 business rates relief
Steep increases in business rates are hurting retailers in the tough trading climate. Tiffany Holland reports on Fair Rates for Retail, our campaign for a rates freeze next year.
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AnalysisOverseas investors: What do retailers need to know?
Sainsbury’s is believed to be the latest retailer attracting overseas investment attention in what has been a busy year for international deals.
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AnalysisAnalysis: Exploring the challenges of retail acquisitions
Over the past year a number of acquisitions have been made by retailers. Liz Morrell explores the challenges of the deals and subsequent integration.
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OpinionComment: Competition in sports retail
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct was the market leader in its category last week and remains so this week following the drawn-out demise of JJB Sports.
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OpinionComment: Does Hong Kong still appeal to retailers?
For European retail, consumer and luxury goods companies looking to launch IPOs, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEx) once had tremendous appeal.
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OpinionComment: Clarke may face a tough road ahead
The fact that Tesco has announced a drop in profits this morning hasn’t come as a surprise to many – and yet that doesn’t make the news any more comforting to investors.
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AnalysisAnalysis: Is Tesco’s turnaround plan working?
Tesco revealed an improved performance in its UK like-for-likes this morning. Retail Week takes a look at how chief executive Philip Clarke’s £1bn strategy to revive the domestic business is faring.
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AnalysisSainsbury's: What the analysts say
Sainsbury’s posted like-for-like sales grew 0.9% and total sales advanced 3.3% for the first half of the year but analysts welcome the figures but believe the grocer still has some work to do.
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OpinionNick Bubb's verdict: Sports Direct - Ashley 5, the OFT 0?
Mike Ashley has been running rings around Sports Direct’s rivals in sports retailing.
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AnalysisAnalysis: Who is Optical Express?
Optical Express is calling in the administrators for one of its nine subsidiary groups, with 40 stores set to close. But who is the optician chain?
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Ikea cuts prices to tap into Chinese market
After reporting sales rose 21% last year to CNY5.4bn (£527.1m), Colin Renwick, deputy retail manager of Ikea China, said that the country will be one of Ikea’s best-performing global locations of fiscal 2012.
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OpinionRetail Surgery: Is there any movement on liability to pay full business rates on empty shops?
Is there any movement yet on the onerous liability to pay full business rates on empty shops?
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OpinionComment: Fair rates for retail will allow focus on growth
As Britain bids to restore national financial self-confidence and goes for economic growth, few industries contribute on the scale of retail.
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OpinionComment: Moss Bros set for growth
The Olympics effect on retail has been felt in some unexpected ways. At Moss Bros, the Games – along with the Jubilee celebrations and the Euro 2012 tournament – led to the deferral of weddings and an impact on its hire business in the first half.
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AnalysisData: Retail sales growth half pre-Lehman levels
The BRC said today that retail sales growth has slowed to half that achieved before the collapse of Lehman Brothers which signalled the start of the recession in 2008.
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OpinionNick Bubb's Verdict: HMV expects Christmas sales pick-up. Is this credible?
The new senior management team at HMV have only been in place for a couple of weeks, but already they are blaming poor recent trading on “a lack of new releases”…and predicting a strong pick-up at Christmas. Is this credible?
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AnalysisInternational analysis: Best Buy aims to stabilise as clock ticks on buyout
US consumer electronics specialist Best Buy has reached an agreement to satisfy recent requests from founder Richard Schulze in connection with his offer to take the retailer private.