More finance – Page 154
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OpinionWHSmith pushes the envelope
WHSmith has never been the most exciting of retailers. In the last few years its City updates have followed the same reassuring yet predictable path – rising profits as further cost savings are found, and falling sales, particularly in its high street arm.
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AnalysisMothercare in crisis: What do retailers need to know?
After a profits warning and the departure of chief executive Ben Gordon, where does the retailer go from here?
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OpinionThere is still a future for Mothercare in the UK
Brutal business, retail. For his first eight years at Mothercare, Ben Gordon could do no wrong.
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OpinionComment: Ted Baker is no ordinary retailer
“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.
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AnalysisEmerging retailers: Still flying high?
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.
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OpinionComment: Are recessions as much about psychology as economics?
Show faith in the worth of your offer and it’ll rub off on consumers, says Simon Burke
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AnalysisWorld Retail Congress: The view from the top
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.
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OpinionGovernment needs to lift shopper confidence
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.
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OpinionChinese whispers hit Burberry
For evidence of shareholder short-termism, look no further than luxury goods retailer and brand Burberry.
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OpinionMoss Bros helps itself to profits
Moss Bros this week provided a rare piece of good news for the high street.
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OpinionDunelm done well
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.
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OpinionThe global shopping centre
Tuesday’s thronged opening of Westfield Stratford City showed that the right stores in the right locations will continue to seduce shoppers.
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OpinionNewness is the talk of New York
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.
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OpinionRetail excellence will make all the difference
The 0.6% like-for-like sales decline recorded by the BRC this week was reassuringly not too bad.
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OpinionKingfisher turns the page
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.
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Opinion
Time to make a judgement call
Two of the retailers most mauled by the bears update next week, electricals group Dixons and Argos owner Home Retail.
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OpinionThe dark before the dawn
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.
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OpinionPreparing for the golden quarter
After the dog days of August, the sector springs into action again in early September.
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OpinionComment: Signet shares may yet sparkle
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.
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OpinionCrisis of confidence continues
Although the BRC was able to report “modest” retail sales growth in July, there was little for store chiefs’ comfort in the latest data.