Greggs Q1 sales beat forecasts
29th Apr 2015 09:13
Greggs first quarter sales have beaten expectations thanks to a new range of healthier products. In an update on Wednesday, the bakery chain said its improved range of freshly-made sandwiches and the strong sales of its breakfast meal deals helped total sales to grow 5%. Additionally, like-for-like
Read moreBroker tips: Hargreaves Lansdown, Reckitt Benckiser, Greggs
19th Mar 2015 15:32
Proposals from the government to shake-up the personal savings market are positive but the reaction they triggered in shares of Hargreaves Lansdown seems overdone, UBS said in a research note e-mailed to clients. Allowing retirees to sell their annuities for cash would be positive for UK exposed ass
Read moreBerenberg dismisses Greggs as 'past its sell-by date'
19th Mar 2015 11:17
Broker Berenberg has begun coverage of Greggs with a 'sell' recommendation on the fast food chain's shares as the market appears to be ignoring several potential risks ahead. Greggs's recent strategy to focus on its core food-on-the-go market and improve the supply chain has been met with initial su
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Thomas Cook up on new partnership, Just Retirement lower as shareholder sells stake
6th Mar 2015 12:46
Thomas Cook jumped after the company announced a new strategic partnership with Chinese investment giant Fosun International which will see the latter take a 5% stake in the travel operator. Fosun is investing £91.8m and intends over time to increase its shareholding to around 10%. DCC was boosted o
Read moreThursday broker round-up
5th Mar 2015 12:41
Rightmove: Credit Suisse lifts target price to 3220p from 2700p but cuts to neutral. Aviva: Panmure Gordon reiterates buy - with a 660p target, as does Westhouse Securities. Standard Chartered: UBS increases target price to 1000p from 980p and reiterates neutral view. Asos: Nomura ups target to 3,
Read moreLondon close: Stocks erase losses as ITV, StanChart and IAG gain
4th Mar 2015 16:41
After a weak start, UK markets managed to push into positive territory by Wednesday's close as decent gains from ITV, Standard Chartered and IAG offset some heavy falls in the mining sector. The FTSE 100 snapped three days of losses to finish up 0.44% at 6,919.24. Economic data from across the glob
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Greggs higher on shareholder returns
4th Mar 2015 15:14
Greggs topped the risers after the baker grew its pre-tax profit last year by 50%, allowing it to return up to £10m to shareholders in the first half of 2015 by resuming its share buyback programme. The company's chief executive, Roger Whiteside, noted that 2014 was a year of significant change and
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
4th Mar 2015 10:16
Electrocomponents: Peel Hunt takes up to a buy. Pearson: Morgan Stanley keeps at overweight, target reiterated at 1,500p. StanChart: Shore Capital stays at buy. Moneysupermarket: UBS lifts to buy, raises target to 260p from 240p. Rightmove: Citi raises to neutral. Barclays: Deutsche keeps at buy
Read moreGreggs pledges to return cash to shareholders after boosting profits
4th Mar 2015 08:10
British baker Greggs on Wednesday grew its pre-tax profit last year by 50%, allowing it to return up to £10m to shareholders in the first half of 2015 by resuming its share buyback programme. Greggs, which has 1,650 retail outlets throughout the UK, reported a pre-tax profit of £49.7m in 2014 up fro
Read moreLondon close: Retailers provide a lift as inflation data boosts economic hopes
13th Jan 2015 16:48
UK stocks put in decent gains on Tuesday as a sharper-than-expected slowdown in inflation boosted hopes for consumer spending and pushed back projections for the first rate raise. A strong start to corporate earnings season in the States and increased hopes for further stimulus by the European Centr
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Greggs on the rise, Debenhams falls after positive Christmas sales
13th Jan 2015 15:01
Debenhams was falling despite record Christmas sales. Although the company saw a 4.9% rise in underlying sales in the last four weeks of 2014, it recorded a 0.8% drop over the last three months. Greggs was rising after revealing an 8.2% boost in December like-for-like sales. The company announced th
Read moreSector movers: Morrisons, Greggs and ASOS lead retailers higher
13th Jan 2015 14:56
The exit of frontman Dalton Philips at Wm Morrison and signs of improving sales trends at the UK grocer were welcomed by the market on Tuesday, with food retailers topping the risers list in London. Well-received trading updates from the likes of Greggs also provided a boost to the food sector, whil
Read moreLondon open: Retailers boost market ahead of inflation data, Morrison jumps
13th Jan 2015 08:57
Well-received updates from a host of retailers were giving UK stock markets a boost on Tuesday morning, as investors awaited some key inflation data. The FTSE 100 was up 0.2% at 6,514 early on with Wm Morrison leading the rise. Data due out at 09:30 is forecast to show that the annual rate of consu
Read moreGreggs beats expectations with meaty Christmas treat
13th Jan 2015 08:05
A very strong post-Christmas update from meaty treats retailer Greggs led management to boast that full year results will beat current expectations. Christmas like-for-like (LFL) sales rose 8.2% in the five weeks to 3 January, versus a 3.1% rise in the same period a year ago, which has lifted the fo
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Food retailers take a hit while energy stocks soar
23rd Dec 2014 09:41
Retail stocks were mixed on the day before Christmas Eve. Home Retail Group, N Brown Group and Supergroup were advancing as last-minute shoppers headed online and hit the high street. Shares in Workspace Group were rising after the company agreed a cash payment of £30m to terminate the proceeds sha
Read more