Wetherspoon to create 1,500 jobs in the UK and Ireland
29th Dec 2014 12:05
Pub group JD Wetherspoon announced on Monday it will open 200 pubs in the next five years, which it said should create 1,500 new jobs in the UK and Ireland. The pub chain will invest around £400m in new pubs, "many of which will be in areas where Wetherspoon is not yet represented", chairman Tim Mar
Read morePub firms say beer tie vote may spark closures and job losses
19th Nov 2014 07:13
It has been hailed as a historic vote that could secure the future of the British pub, but Parliament's decision to scrap the restrictive 'beer tie', which links pub landlords' rent and supplies to their parent pub companies, might have "serious unintended consequences" on the industry, according to
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
12th Nov 2014 09:07
Aberdeen: UBS lowers target price from 465p to 450p and downgrades from buy to neutral. ASOS: Societe Generale reduces target price from 5000p to 4450p, while leaving its buy recommendation unchanged. BG Group: Deutsche Bank reduces target price from 1400p to 1300p and keeps a buy recommendation.
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
6th Nov 2014 10:01
Amec: UBS cuts target price from 1185p to 1150p, while its buy recommendation remains unchanged. Afren: Liberum Capital cuts target price from 121p to 95p and stays with its hold recommendation. Antofagasta: Canaccord cuts target price from 790p to 760p and reiterates a hold recommendation. Associ
Read moreLondon close: M&S helps stocks to brush off downbeat services data
5th Nov 2014 16:11
Markets shrugged off fresh economic woes and gold price falls on Wednesday, helped by positive news from retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S). Continental European service sector data came in weak and UK service data also surprised on the downside, slowing to a 17-month low in October. Fears that the dec
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
5th Nov 2014 10:02
Associated British Foods: Exane raises target price from 3600p to 3700p, keeping its outperform rating. Citi reduces target price from 3200p to 3100p, while upgrading to buy. AVEVA: Liberum Capital reduces target price from 1500p to 1400p and keeps a hold recommendation. Investec reduces target pric
Read moreOctober trading slowdown hits Wetherspoon
5th Nov 2014 08:45
Pub group JD Wetherspoon said a slowdown in business in October and higher costs would hit its operating margins, knocking its shares on Wednesday morning. Wetherspoon said like-for-like sales increased 6.3% in the 13 weeks to 26 October and total sales rose 11.3%. Sales were good through August an
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
28th Oct 2014 09:18
Afren: Credit Suisse lowers target price from 132p to 115p staying with its outperform rating. African Barrick Gold: Westhouse moves target price from 230p to 240p and keeps an add rating. Anglo American: Investec reduces target price from 1603p to 1588p and keeps a buy recommendation. APR Energy:
Read moreWetherspoon’s finance director poached by Greene King
1st Oct 2014 09:20
JD Wetherspoon's finance director, Kirk David, has resigned in order to join rival pub chain Greene King. Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin thanked Davis for his work and said the group had begun looking for his successor. Davis will replace Green King's chief financial officer Matthew Fearne, who wa
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to open above 6,800
12th Sep 2014 07:43
London-listed stocks look set for a modest rise on Friday morning, following a mixed performance by global indices overnight. City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open around five points higher than Thursday's close of 6,799.62. US equity markets ended broadly flat after erasing early losses, wit
Read moreWetherspoon warns on tax as profits fizz up
12th Sep 2014 07:23
Pub chain JD Wetherspoon served up record full-year revenues and and profits and said sales in the last six weeks were up 6%, although it warned of a risk to the pub industry from rising taxes. Wetherspoon said pre-tax profit before one-off items in the 52 weeks to 27 July rose 3.1% to £79.4m on
Read moreThursday broker round-up UPDATE
28th Aug 2014 09:24
Antofagasta: Investec lowers target price from 720p to 719p and retains a sell recommendation. Arrow Global: Canaccord Genuity moves target price from 318p to 325p and keeps a buy recommendation. Numis downgrades from buy to add with a target price of 285p. Balfour Beatty: Berenberg moves target p
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 extends losses as insurers and retailers fall
9th Jul 2014 12:03
- Admiral, Aviva lead markets lower - FTSE 100 on track for worst finish since late April - Retailers fall as UK retail prices fall 1.8% - Investors nervous ahead of Fed minutes techMARK 2,777.53 -0.59% FTSE 100 6,708.55 -0.44% FTSE 250 15,526.79 -0.80% UK stocks were heading for their worst finis
Read moreLondon open: Admiral leads markets lower as investors await Fed minutes
9th Jul 2014 09:00
- Admiral shares drop as H1 revenues fall - Markets await FOMC minutes for rate-hike clues - Chinese inflation eases - Alcoa beats forecasts as Q2 earnings season gets underway techMARK 2,783.11 -0.39% FTSE 100 6,721.47 -0.25% FTSE 250 15,601.53 -0.33% UK stocks fell for a third straight day on We
Read moreWetherspoon frustrates with slower sales and margin guidance
9th Jul 2014 08:10
- LFL sales up 4.9% in previous 10 weeks - On track to open 45 pubs for full year - "Sales slowed in recent weeks" - Guidance to flat or lower margins in FY 2015 Sales have slowed in recent weeks at JD Wetherspoon as England crashed out of the World Cup, but the pubs group is confident of meeting e
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