Broker snap: WH Smith to prove resilient
8th Jun 2010 12:59
It's business as usual at newsagent WH Smith with FinnCap predicting that the company's interim management statement (IMS) will not prompt any earnings estimate upgrades. Though like for like sales in the 14 weeks to 5 June were slightly weaker than expected the broker thinks that "the statement a
Read moreLondon midday: Blue chips struggle
8th Jun 2010 12:35
Blue chips struggled all morning with BP under the cosh again and investors surprised by the retirement of Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy. BP is again among the worst performers as US president Barack Obama said he'd sack the British company's chief executive Tony Hayward. In an interview with NBC to b
Read moreUK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: VP To Cut Net Debt GBP10M In FY11
8th Jun 2010 12:30
Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps VP PLC (VP.LN), a U.K. equipment rental company, hopes to cut its net debt by a further GBP10 million in fiscal 2011, Group Finance Director Mike Holt sa
Read moreUK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: Chloride Agrees GBP860 Mln ABB Offer
8th Jun 2010 09:30
Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps CHLORIDE GROUP PLC (CHLD.LN), a manufacturer of secure power systems, Tuesday recommended an GBP860 million takeover offer from Swiss engineering giant A
Read moreLondon open: Flat start for Footsie
8th Jun 2010 08:41
Footsie is moving sideways this morning with investors unsettled by the late fall on Wall Street last night. Tesco is the big story. Chief executive Sir Terry Leahy is to retire next March with Philip Clarke moving up to take his place as CEO at the UK's top supermarket chain. Leahy steps down af
Read moreUK MARKET TALK ROUNDUP: BROKERS COMMENTS
8th Jun 2010 07:56
Broker comments in the UK today. Compiled by Dow Jones Newswires Markets Desk, [email protected] Contact us in London. +44-20-7842-9464 [email protected] 0656 GMT [Dow Jones] WH Smith (SMWH.LN) offers a sales update in line with expectations, says Shore Capital and thus there is
Read moreMARKET TALK: Shore Capital Keeps WH Smith At Buy
8th Jun 2010 07:56
0656 GMT [Dow Jones] WH Smith (SMWH.LN) offers a sales update in line with expectations, says Shore Capital and thus there is unlikely to be any changes to consensus pretax profit estimates. Says WH Smith is a well run, defensive company with a strong balance sheet and good cash generation. Shore ad
Read moreMARKET TALK: WH Smith Update Shows Weak LFL Result
8th Jun 2010 07:46
0646 GMT [Dow Jones] WH Smith (SMWH.LN) trading update shows total group sales -3%, with like-for-like sales -4%, compared to the same period last year. Arden Partners' analyst Nick Bubb was looking for -3 LFL, "so the -4 is marginally worse, but not disastrously so." He says the company has turnov
Read moreUK MARKET TALK ROUNDUP: BROKERS COMMENTS
8th Jun 2010 07:46
Broker comments in the UK today. Compiled by Dow Jones Newswires Markets Desk, [email protected] Contact us in London. +44-20-7842-9464 [email protected] 0646 GMT [Dow Jones] WH Smith (SMWH.LN) trading update shows total group sales -3%, with like-for-like sales -4%, compared t
Read moreLondon pre-open: Footsie to edge higher
8th Jun 2010 07:42
Footsie is expected to edge up in early dealings after closing in the red yesterday. Demand at the World Cup and a pick-up in business elsewhere means temporary power and temperature control services firm Aggreko expects performance this year will be significantly better than previously anticipate
Read moreWH Smith 14-Week Comparable Sales Fall 4%;Cautious On Spending
8th Jun 2010 07:15
LONDON (Dow Jones)--U.K. magazine and book retailer WH Smith PLC (SMWH.LN) Tuesday said sales at its stores open more than a year fell 4% in the first 14 weeks of its second half and it remains cautious about consumer spending for the rest of the year. The company said total group sales fell 3%
Read moreWH Smith chairman steps down
8th Jun 2010 07:06
Newsagent chain WH Smith announced the retirement of chairman Robert Walker as it revealed a 4% fall in like-for-like sales in the 14 weeks to June 5. Like-for-like sales were down by 4% in both the High Street and Travel divisions, with like-for-like sales at travel outlets down by 2% excluding th
Read moreWH Smiths' newest director buys
26th Apr 2010 16:51
New WH Smith non-executive director Walker Boyd has made his first purchase of shares in the retailer. Boyd joined the board in February and he has acquired 15,000 shares at 506.5p each. This cost nearly £76,000. He did not own any shares prior to the purchase. Boyd has bought the shares earlier en
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Goldman Sachs, ITV, RBS
25th Apr 2010 10:43
Goldman Sachs made big profits betting against the mortgage market even though it stated in its 2009 annual report to investors that it "did not generate enormous net revenues by betting against residential related products", according to initial findings of a Senate investigation into the bank, say
Read moreLondon close: Greek problems resurface
22nd Apr 2010 16:45
Worries about Greece's debt situation knocked global markets and kept Footsie in the red at the close. Greece's financial situation came under scrutiny again after the statistics agency Eurostat warned the country's 2009 budget deficit was 13.6%, more that the 12.7% previously estimated, and warned
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