News Tag: sales
July 7, 2011
WH Smith, which sells newspapers, books, stationery and confectionery, today announced like-for-like sales fell 4% in the 18 weeks to 2 July compared with the same period a year ago.
However, the company, which operates on the High Street and at travel-based outlets such as airports, train stations and motorway service stations, said it “remained confident” about the full year.
Retailers ...
WH Smith posts 4% decline in sales
by Kay Mitchell
July 5, 2011
Persimmon, which is the UK’s largest housebuilder by market value, has today said it is encouraged by improved sales and a "modest improvement" in lending.
It said it expects to market to pick up over the latter half of 2011 and expects prices to rise over the year.
The company said it completed 4,439 homes in the first half of the year against 4,657 ...
Persimmon encouraged by improved sales
by Kay Mitchell
June 30, 2011
Music, books and games retailer HMV has today reported a pre-tax profit of £28.9 million in the 12 months to the end of April – a fall of 61% compared with the £74.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
Furthermore, like-for-like sales have dived 11% over the past year as it struggles with tough competition from supermarkets and internet companies, such ...
HMV profits and sales fall
by Kay Mitchell
Debenhams reports rise in half-year sales
by Kay Mitchell
June 23, 2011
Electrical goods retailer Dixons has today reported like-for-like sales fell 2% in the year to April.
The results come just a day after fellow electrical goods chain Comet said sales fell 6.8% for the 12 month period.
The figures are evidence of consumers reining in their spending and opting not to purchase big-ticket items at this time, in the face of austerity measures and ...
Dixons like-for-like sales 2% lower
by Kay Mitchell
June 22, 2011
Electrical goods retailer Comet has today posted a 6.8% fall in sales for the year to 30 April, slumping to a loss of €10 million (£9 million).
The chain said trade had deteriorated in the new financial year and chairman David Newlands described the results as “unsatisfactory and unacceptable”.
Comet’s parent company, Kesa, however posted a 2.3% rise in adjusted profits before tax, ...
Comet sales slump despite turnaround efforts
by Kay Mitchell
June 21, 2011
The US housing market remains depressed after figures today revealed sales of previously owned homes plunged 15% on an annual basis last month, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
The industry body also said sales were down 3.8% on the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million units – below forecasts.
However, the NAR points out ...
US existing home sales down in May
by Kay Mitchell
June 14, 2011
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today reported that the traditional spring selling season has been hit by a lack of mortgage finance and economic uncertainty.
This time of year is traditionally busy for the housing market but securing a mortgage remains difficult for many potential buyers – particularly first-time buyers.
Furthermore, the economic uncertainty means the housing ...
Rics: Spring selling hit by lack of mortgage availability
by Kay Mitchell
June 10, 2011
Newcastle-based housebuilder Bellway has today said an uplift in consumer confidence has led to a rise in sales.
The housebuilder, which is the fifth largest by market value, said it had experienced a sales rate of 111 units per week in the four months to the end of May – 9% higher than the same period a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the average ...
Bellway encouraged by rise in sales
by Kay Mitchell
June 9, 2011
There is further evidence of consumers reining in their spending after Home Retail Group (HRG), the biggest household goods retailer, said sales fell 9.6% in the 13 weeks to the end of May.
Shares in HRG sank 11% after the announcement – a 2½ year low – after it said trading conditions were challenging and consumers were opting not to purchase big-ticket ...
Argos reports sharp fall in sales
by Kay Mitchell
June 3, 2011
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, today reported weaker sales, fuelling fears about consumer spending.
The renowned employee-owned chain said sales in the week to 28 May fell 0.8% to £55 million.
The company has bucked the trend when it comes to retail sales over the last few months but today’s figures will no doubt raise concerns ...
John Lewis reports weaker sales
by Kay Mitchell
May 30, 2011
According to housing intelligence group, Hometrack, house prices in England and Wales fell at their fastest annual pace since October 2009 last month.
According to Hometrack, house prices fell by 0.1% on the month and are 3.7% lower on the year.
House prices have now fallen for 10 consecutive months, according to the group.
Hometrack attributes the fall to weak demand for housing on ...
Hometrack: Housing demand remains weak
by Kay Mitchell
May 19, 2011
Figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed a sharp fall in UK car production for the month of April, disrupted by supply shortages, resulting from the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
Japan’s three major carmakers (Toyota, Nissan and Honda) all have operations in the UK, with the latter halving its production in April.
UK car production ...
UK car production down in April
by Kay Mitchell
April 21, 2011
Persimmon, which is the UK’s largest housebuilder by market value, has today reported a 12% rise in sales reservations in the first three months compared with a year ago.
Furthermore, the housebuilder said its order book had risen to £1.14 billion – up from the £565 million at the start of the year.
The figures come just a few weeks after the company ...
Persimmon reports rise in sales reservations
by Kay Mitchell
ONS: Surprise rise in March retail sales
by Kay Mitchell
April 20, 2011
Home Retail Group, owner of Argos and Homebase, has today reported a 9.5% fall in pre-tax profits as conditions on the High Street remain challenging.
Profits fell to £265.2 million in the 12 months to 26 February compared with £293 million in the same period a year ago.
Meanwhile, revenue was almost 3% lower on an annual basis at £5.85 billion, with the ...
Home Retail Group announces fall in profits
by Kay Mitchell
April 19, 2011
Supermarket giant Tesco has today announced overall pre-tax profits were £3.5 billion for the year to 26 February – an 11.3% rise on a year ago.
Profits were 30% higher in Asia at £570 million with sales up 21% to £11 billion, driven by a strong performance in Thailand and Korea.
Today's results represent the first since Philip Clarke, the supermarket chain's ...
Tesco full year profit boosted by Asian growth
by Kay Mitchell
April 6, 2011
British retailing giant Marks and Spencer (M&S;) has today reported like-for-like sales, which strip out new store openings, grew 0.1% in the 13 week period to 2 April.
The figures were marginally better than expected and sent shares up 13.3p today to 353.5p.
The 127-year-old retailer which sells clothes, food and homewares said general merchandise fell 3.9% but this was offset by a ...
M&S reports better than expected sales
by Kay Mitchell
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