More finance – Page 166
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OpinionHunger for food stocks sated
General retailers’ popularity has been growing of late. At the end of last week some big names rose again, at the expense of the food giants.Although food stocks are often popular for their defensive qualities during tough times, the big grocers were not the flavour of the week. Last Friday ...
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OpinionCautious Next sets the standard
Next chief executive Simon Wolfson was his usual cautious self last week, revealing to the City that the fashion retailer would be “sticking to the knitting”.His approach pleased analysts, and one even believes that Next is among the best-managed companies in the sector.Wolfson is right to be cautious. Among the ...
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Opinion
Cruel month of April no joke for retail
In The Wasteland, TS Eliot wrote that April is the cruellest month. Something tells me JG Brown and AM Darling studied it in their formative years.With property and people being retailers’ biggest operating costs, Wednesday certainly wasn’t a day to celebrate. April 1 was the day this year’s whopping business ...
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Opinion
Tesco will find its feet again
With the grocers’ reporting season well under way, all eyes will be on Tesco next month when it reveals its preliminary results.
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Opinion
Retail’s resources are to be envied
This specialist magazine is understandably introspective and does just what it says in its title, scrutinising retail week after week.
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Opinion
The credit insurance crunch
Imagine that you got home one day in early February, having trudged your way through the snow, to find a letter from your car insurance company on the doormat.
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Opinion
Value to be had in retail
Think back about five months or so, to the aftermath of Lehman’s collapse and tsunami-style turbulence in financial markets.
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Opinion
Without Principles
Last week another store chain hit the outer circle of hell known as administration. This time it was Principles and the news is that the stores are to go, but Debenhams will mop up the stock, keeping the brand alive in its branches - for the time being, at least.
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Opinion
Only well-led retailers will get backing
In testing times it’s human nature to turn to the knowledge and experience of leaders.
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OpinionSir Stuart Rose and Tony Shiret: the dream team?
Tony Shiret caused a stir on Monday with a damning note on Marks & Spencer.
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Opinion
Business rates issue can’t wait
Alistair Darling is a busy man at the moment, so perhaps it’s an achievement in itself that he has responded to Retail Week’s Rate Rage campaign and acknowledged the severe problems that retailers are facing.
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Analysis
Westminster and the high street: Worlds apart?
Politicians seem to treat retail like the forgotten stepchild of UK industry, but are things improving? George MacDonald reports on the state of retail influence in the corridors of power
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Opinion
Don't write off Fresh & Easy
The weekend story that Tesco had “got it wrong in the US” made for great headlines but didn’t reflect the bigger picture.
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Opinion
Asda means business in grocers' price war
It's payday, and the big grocers are parking their tanks on each other's lawns as a new front opens in the price war.
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Opinion
History can't prepare us for this recession
Retailers are almost all suffering from low sales, tightening gross margins, pressure on costs and difficulty in simply retaining existing borrowing facilities.
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Opinion
A public appeal to Alistair Darling
If the Chancellor really wants to tackle the crunch he needs to help with credit insurance
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Opinion
Getting JJB match-fit again
Like Didier Drogba, sports retailer JJB has spent more time on the bench than in competition of late. Once hailed as a premiership business, JJB has been teetering on the brink of permanent relegation for several seasons – outplayed by rivals such as Sports Direct and top of the league ...
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Opinion
Brands and nostalgia: the new dynamic in food
Comfort eating has taken on a new meaning in these downbeat, recessionary times.
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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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Opinion
There are some store design benefits to a downturn
One of the unexpected consequences of a recession is that things get done better and quicker. Walking the floor of French department store Printemps' Paris flagship with its chairman and chief executive (two for the price of one must be a bonus in the current climate) last week, it was ...