All articles by George MacDonald – Page 206
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NewsWade-Gery hiring ‘shows M&S is thinking ahead’
High-profile appointment being interpreted as succession planning by chief executive Marc Bolland
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NewsGeneral stores boosted by January sales rise
A January sales fillip, takeover talk and musical chairs in the boardroom helped buoy up general retailers over the week and they outperformed the All-share index.
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NewsSuperGroup vows stellar performance will continue
SuperGroup chief executive Julian Dunkerton has promised continued growth after a stellar third quarter, and said the retailer’s phenomenal share price rise since last year’s IPO reflected that the company is delivering on its promises so far.
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NewsSuperGroup third quarter sales rocket
Sales at fashion retailer SuperGroup, owner of the ultra-trendy Superdry brand, continued to climb steeply in the third quarter and continued growth is expected.
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NewsRetail like-for-likes up 2.3% in January, BRC reports
Clearance Sales, a shopper rush to beat the VAT rise and weak comparatives because of snow last year all helped lift retail sales by 2.3% like-for-like in January.
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NewsComet begins redundancy consultations as it consolidates service centres
Electricals retailer Comet is to shut 14 of its service centres and has begun consultations with 411 affected staff as it seeks to make redundancies.
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AnalysisGoing, going... gone
As Icelandic investors consider exiting high-profile retailers, George MacDonald asks whether the stores sector can look forward to a raft of deals in the year to come
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NewsBuyers size up HMV
Entertainment retailer back on private equity’s radar after poor trading raises prospect of a break-up
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NewsOffice Depot ties up with Dixons to open PC World shop-in-shops
Office supplies giant Office Depot is testing shop-in-shops in electricals group Dixons Retail’s stores.
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NewsTakeover talks reflect tough week for stores
Plunging consumer confidence, signs of slowing trading at bellwether department store group John Lewis and a Carpetright profit warning meant general retailers were left on the shelf by investors.
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OpinionBolland spreads M&S’s wings
M&S boss Marc Bolland started to make his presence felt with last week’s rejig of the general merchandise senior management structure. The rationale for the changes was to create the right framework for delivery of M&S’s business plan.
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NewsWheway to leave Best Buy Europe
Scott Wheway is to stand down as chief executive of Best Buy Europe. He is replaced by Best Buy Europe chief operating officer Andrew Harrison, who has been promoted to president.
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NewsMarks & Spencer to open Champs-Elysees store this summer
Marks & Spencer is to open a store in Paris on the Champs-Elysees as early as this summer, it is understood.
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AnalysisOnline streaming
With Amazon taking control of Lovefilm and Netflix flying high across the pond, all the signs suggest online streaming is set to become the norm
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NewsJohn Lewis suffers weekly sales fall
Sales at department store chain John Lewis went into reverse last week but the retailer said its full-year performance would be strong.
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NewsConsumer confidence goes into tailspin
Consumer confidence crashed in January, when it plunged at a rate not seen since the recession of the early 1990s.
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NewsM&S fully integrates Per Una after management shake-up
Marks & Spencer womenswear label Per Una will be fully integrated into the retailer’s core womenswear operations following a management restructuring this week.
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NewsDirectors leave Comet in the wake of dire trading update
Two Comet directors are to exit the business and redundancy consultations have begun with other head office staff as the electricals specialist battles to recover after disastrous Christmas trading.
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NewsDouble-dip fears hit general retail stocks
Retail stocks were hit as the economy went into reverse, renewing fears of a double-dip recession, and Bank of England governor Mervyn King warned of plunging living standards.
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NewsFormer M&S boss Rose and Waitrose chief Price named Government happiness advisors
Former Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose and Waitrose managing director Mark Price have both been named members of the advisory panel set up to measure happiness.