News Tag: sales
March 18, 2010
Britain’s largest mutually-owned retailer, the Co-operative Group, has today posted "record sales and profits" for the 2009 year after its acquisition of Somerfield and its merger with the Britannia building society.
The group said underlying operating profits before significant items soared 20% to £473 million over the year, while revenue was £13.7 billion.
Meanwhile, the Co-operative group's grocery division, which is ...
Co-op profits boosted by Somerfield takeover
by Kay Murchie
March 16, 2010
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association has today revealed registrations of new cars in Europe grew an annual 3.2% in February to 1,000,754 vehicles.
However, a severe fall of 30% was noted in Germany as the country’s scrappage scheme expired, but the fall was offset by growth in Italy and the UK, which still have incentive packages in place.
Overall, sales in the ...
European car sales rise 3.2% in Feb
by Kay Murchie
March 12, 2010
Since the start of the year, house sales in England and Wales have fallen dramatically, the BBC reports.
New data obtained by the BBC from research-based consultancy, Acadametrics, show January transaction levels down 52% on December, at 36,000.
February looks little better with an estimated 40,000 completed sales, although seasonal trends, winter weather, and the end of stamp duty holiday ...
House sales plummet but prices recover to 2007 levels
by Gill Montia
March 5, 2010
The John Lewis Partnership, which is seen as a barometer of British retailing, today announced sales grew 14.8% to £50.4 million in the week to 27 February compared with the same period a year ago.
The figures at the renowned employee-owned department store suggest consumer spending recovered in February since it was the seventh consecutive double-digit percentage rise.
Howard Archer, ...
John Lewis posts further double-digit rise, Waitrose eyes growth
by Kay Murchie
US home sales in surprise fall in January
by Kay Murchie
March 4, 2010
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has today announced UK car sales were up by 26.4% in February compared with the same month in 2009, boosted by the Government’s scrappage scheme.
The £400 million initiative, which was launched last May to boost the ailing car industry, pays drivers of cars at least 10 years old £2,000 off the price of ...
Car sales up 26.4% in February
by Kay Murchie
March 3, 2010
Ford Motor company overtook its rivals last month by announcing sales surged 43% - outperforming its major rival, General Motors (GM).
It also accelerated past Toyota, which has been suffering amid major recalls. Toyota has now recalled over 8 million cars over concerns about accelerator pedals and brake systems.
Ford said US sales rose 43% to 142,285 vehicles, while GM sold 141,951 ...
Ford monthly sales soar 43%
by Kay Murchie
February 24, 2010
The Commerce Department has today revealed a fall in sales of new homes in the US for the month of January - the third consecutive month that sales have fallen.
According to the Commerce Department, new single-family home sales dived by 11.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 306,000 units - the lowest since records commenced in 1963.
The ...
US new home sales in third consecutive monthly fall
by Kay Murchie
Federal Reserve chairman pledges low interest rates for long-term
by Kay Murchie
February 23, 2010
US consumer confidence took a dive in February after the closely-monitored Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board fell to a 10-month low of 46, down from a revised 56.5 in January.
The index still remains far away from the 90 points required to show that the world’s largest economy is on solid footing.
Furthermore, the reading is still below the ...
US consumer confidence tumbles in February
by Kay Murchie
February 22, 2010
A strong performance at discount clothing retailer Primark has boosted parent group, Associated British Foods (ABF), which today reported an 8% rise in sales in the past six months.
According to ABF, like-for-like sales at its 196-strong Primark chain, which strip out the impact of new stores, were boosted by "exceptionally strong performance" from the relatively new 14 Spanish stores.
Retailers such as ...
Strong performance at Primark boost ABF
by Kay Murchie
February 18, 2010
Fears over US consumer spending were raised today after retailing giant Wal-Mart reported weaker than expected sales.
The company, which is the world’s largest retailer, reported a 22% rise in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit, but sales at stores open at least 12 months disappointed the market.
Quarterly sales fell to $113.65 billion - slightly below the $114.56 billion expected by most analysts.
Meanwhile, net ...
Wal-Mart results lower than expectations
by Kay Murchie
February 8, 2010
Discount clothing retailer Ethel Austin has entered administration for the second time in two years.
The Liverpool-based retailer, which has 300 stores, will trade as normal while administrators MCR seek a new buyer.
However, MCR could not rule out closures or job losses since there were "no guarantees" that a buyer could be sought in the current economic ...
Ethel Austin enters administration for second time in two years
by Kay Murchie
February 5, 2010
The John Lewis Partnership, which is seen as a barometer of British retailing, today announced that sales grew 15.6% to £50 million in the week to 30 January compared with the same period a year ago.
The renowned employee-owned department store said it was the third consecutive week of increased sales and ended a "cracking" January.
According to Managing Director, ...
John Lewis posts third straight week of growing sales
by Kay Murchie
February 4, 2010
The UK car scrappage scheme has been extended for one month - until the end of March.
The scheme, dubbed cash for bangers, was due to expire at the end of this month (or until funds ran out).
However no extra funds will be provided for the scheme but the Government said the extension would give dealers and manufacturers "more ...
Cash for bangers scheme extended to end of March
by Kay Murchie
February 2, 2010
Hometrack has declared that the housing market in England and Wales has seen a "sluggish" start to the year, after an unexpectedly strong end to 2009.
In its January survey, the housing intelligence firm detected a 0.1% rise in the price of the average home, compared with December; however, the year-on-year rate of grow stood at a disappointing minus 0.1%.
Both the number of ...
Hometrack: house prices down year-on-year
by Gill Montia
January 29, 2010
Microsoft, the world’s largest software company, has announced its profits for the October to December period and has exceeded analysts expectations.
The software giant, which released the Windows 7 operating system in October, said net profit came in at $6.66 billion (£4.13 billion) for the three months to 31 December 2009, compared with the $4.18 billion it posted ...
Microsoft profits soar due to high demand for Windows 7
by Kay Murchie
January 28, 2010
Swedish budget retailer, Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), has today announced it is to open 240 new stores this year in Europe, Asia and the US after it posted a better than expected 21% rise in Q4 profits.
The fashion chain also said it was about to enter the Israeli market, with outlets in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa.
For the three ...
H&M eyes expansion as Q4 profit soars
by Kay Murchie
Ford returns to profitability amid cost-cutting
by Kay Murchie
January 27, 2010
The Commerce Department has today revealed a fall in sales of new homes in the US for the month of December - the second consecutive month that sales have fallen.
According to the Commerce Department, new single-family home sales dived by 7.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 342,000 units, down from a revised 370,000 in the previous month.
Meanwhile, a ...
US new home sales in steep fall
by Kay Murchie
