More finance – Page 152

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Comment: Ted Baker is no ordinary retailer

    2011-10-14T00:00:00Z

    “Better product, better design. It’s that simple.” That was the explanation given by Ted Baker chief executive Ray Kelvin to analysts last week as he unveiled a 12.7% increase in first-half profits.

  • Emerging Retailers
    Analysis

    Emerging retailers: Still flying high?

    2011-10-13T00:00:00Z

    Two years ago, 10 of the top emerging retailers gathered for a Retail Week photo shoot at the top of London’s Gherkin. Today, Charlotte Hardie revisits them to find out how they have fared amid the trials and tribulations of the continued downturn.

  • The team from Hong Kong Polytechnic University who were winners of the Retail Futures Challenge
    Analysis

    World Retail Congress: The view from the top

    2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

    The industry’s biggest names from across the globe met at the fifth World Retail Congress to tackle the big issues of the day. George MacDonald and Rebecca Thomson report from Berlin.

  • Simon Burke is chairman of HobbyCraft
    Opinion

    Comment: Are recessions as much about psychology as economics?

    2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

    Show faith in the worth of your offer and it’ll rub off on consumers, says Simon Burke

  • Tim Danaher
    Opinion

    Government needs to lift shopper confidence

    2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

    As David Cameron sat down on Wednesday morning to make the finishing touches to his speech to the Tory conference, he could have done worse than take a look at that day’s statements from Tesco, Mothercare, SuperGroup and Sainsbury’s.

  • George Macdonald
    Opinion

    Chinese whispers hit Burberry

    2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

    For evidence of shareholder short-termism, look no further than luxury goods retailer and brand Burberry.

  • Jennifer Creevy
    Opinion

    Moss Bros helps itself to profits

    2011-09-30T00:00:00Z

    Moss Bros this week provided a rare piece of good news for the high street.

  • macdonald george cutout
    Opinion

    Dunelm done well

    2011-09-23T00:00:00Z

    In these times of tough trading and hard-to-come-by bank lending, you don’t often read this sort of thing in a preliminary results statement.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    The global shopping centre

    2011-09-16T00:00:00Z

    Tuesday’s thronged opening of Westfield Stratford City showed that the right stores in the right locations will continue to seduce shoppers.

  • Michael Poynor, managing director, retail expertise
    Opinion

    Newness is the talk of New York

    2011-09-15T00:00:00Z

    Goldman Sachs’ 18th Annual Global Retailing Conference in New York last week was held against a sombre backdrop of US economic indicators: consumer confidence lowering to near recession levels; disposable incomes and unemployment both stagnating; and a stock market in decline for the fourth consecutive month.

  • Tim Danaher
    Opinion

    Retail excellence will make all the difference

    2011-09-09T00:00:00Z

    The 0.6% like-for-like sales decline recorded by the BRC this week was reassuringly not too bad.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Kingfisher turns the page

    2011-09-09T00:00:00Z

    The collapses of furniture retailers such as Floors2Go in the last month served to show that the furniture and home sectors are in a run-down state – a verdict reinforced by the BRC retail sales data this week.

  • Opinion

    Time to make a judgement call

    2011-09-02T00:00:00Z

    Two of the retailers most mauled by the bears update next week, electricals group Dixons and Argos owner Home Retail.

  • Michael Jary Partner, OC&C Strategy Consultants
    Opinion

    The dark before the dawn

    2011-09-01T07:00:00Z

    Retail Week gave its edition of August 12 the strapline ‘Retail’s Darkest Week’. This may turn out to be not too much of an exaggeration, but because of more than riots.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Preparing for the golden quarter

    2011-08-26T00:00:00Z

    After the dog days of August, the sector springs into action again in early September.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Comment: Signet shares may yet sparkle

    2011-08-19T00:00:00Z

    Unlike what it sells in-store, the shares of jewellery Goliath Signet haven’t been sparklers lately – there’s a been a distinct lack of bling.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Crisis of confidence continues

    2011-08-12T00:00:00Z

    Although the BRC was able to report “modest” retail sales growth in July, there was little for store chiefs’ comfort in the latest data.

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    From coffee to cards

    2011-08-05T00:00:00Z

    The appointment of Darcy Willson-Rymer as chief executive of Clinton Cards could not be a more definitive sign of change at the retailer, which for the first time will be run by someone from outside the founding family.

  • A study found true price inflation at 15.5% compared with the CPI’s 2.5%
    Opinion

    Retail surgery: Can statistics on inflation be used as a benchmark?

    2011-07-29T00:00:00Z

    Can the official statistics on inflation be used as a benchmark for the spending power of our customers?

  • George MacDonald
    Opinion

    Dixons heads for Harrods

    2011-07-29T00:00:00Z

    Ironic that Dixons, which only two years ago was threatened by Harrods with legal action over a cheeky ad poking fun at the famous department store, is soon to be installed as the electricals concessionaire in the landmark Knightsbridge shop.