Whitbread gets a caffeine kick, sales rise 9% in Q1
21st Jun 2011 07:35
Strong sales growth at Costa coffee shops helped hotel and restaurant group Whitbread to offset subdued activity in its restaurant division to grow total sales by 9.2% in first quarter. The share price rose by 72p (+4.9%) to 1,557p at 09:00 on Tuesday morning. The group said that the trading mome
Read moreTuesday preview: Whitbread, Capital Pub
20th Jun 2011 16:35
Whitbread did relatively well during the credit crunch era, with hotel users trading down to its Premier Inns and coffee addicts finding themselves unable to give up the Costa Coffee habit, but since the company's full year results at the end of April, investors have turned sour on the company, as t
Read moreWeek Ahead: Whitbread in need of a perc
17th Jun 2011 07:51
Whitbread did relatively well during the credit crunch era, with hotel users trading down to its Premier Inns and coffee addicts finding themselves unable to give up the Costa Coffee habit, but since the company's full year results at the end of April, investors have turned a bit sour on the company
Read moreSector movers: Insurers rise, retailers fall
7th Jun 2011 16:09
The life insurance sector is being boosted higher by the blue chips today, after Resolution announced a share repurchase. UK insurance buyout firm Resolution was the pick of the bunch today, after announcing its plans to return £500m of excess cash to shareholders. Citi has reiterated its 'buy' r
Read moreFTSE 100 movers: Insurers dominate the risers
7th Jun 2011 15:34
UK insurance buyout firm Resolution is the pick of the bunch today, after announcing its plans to return £500m of excess cash to shareholders. Citi has reiterated its 'buy' recommendation on the stock, saying that - given lower asset and debt leverage - "the Resolution business should be at a premi
Read moreMichael Page boss trousers £1.2m
13th May 2011 16:13
Charles-Henri Dumon, who is in charge of Michael Page's operations in continental Europe and the Americas, has pocketed nearly £1.2m from the sale of shares in the firm. He offloaded 220,000 shares at 543.59 a time and still has 736,886. Dumon joined Michael Page in 1985 and was appointed a Direct
Read moreBroker tips: Whitbread, L&G, Weir
4th May 2011 12:59
Credit Suisse keeps its 'outperform' rating on Whitbread, but slashes its target price from 2,230p to 1,992p, after a cautious outlook alongside its full year results. Credit Suisse said that the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner reported "solid" figures for the year ended 3 March, but issued caut
Read moreBroker snap: Whitbread forecasts cut on cautious outlook
4th May 2011 12:57
Credit Suisse keeps its 'outperform' rating on Whitbread, but slashes its target price from 2,230p to 1,992p, after a cautious outlook alongside its full year results. Credit Suisse said that the Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner reported "solid" figures for the year ended 3 March, but issued caut
Read moreLondon close: Flat finish ahead of Royal Wedding
28th Apr 2011 16:46
Stocks finished flat heading into the long weekend, though there was no shortage of company updates for investors to digest. Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread shrugged off the economic difficulties said to be plaguing Britain as it upped its dividend by 17% and announced plans to step up
Read moreLondon midday: FTSE 100 seeking direction after updates
28th Apr 2011 12:05
A stream of updates from big-hitters such as Shell and Unilever has failed to give the top share index any overall sense of direction. Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread shrugged off the economic difficulties said to be plaguing Britain as it upped its dividend by 17% and announced plans
Read moreLondon open: Stocks edge higher
28th Apr 2011 08:31
Shares have got off to a firmer start as the stream of company updates continues. Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread shrugged off the economic difficulties said to be plaguing Britain as it upped its dividend by 17% and announced plans to step up expansion plans. Revenues in the year to 3
Read moreWhitbread lifts divi, ramps up expansion plans
28th Apr 2011 08:00
Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread shrugged off the economic difficulties said to be plaguing Britain as it upped its dividend by 17% and announced plans to step up expansion. Revenues in the year to 3 March were up by 11.5% from the previous year to £1.56bn, with underlying pre-tax profi
Read moreBroker tips: Whitbread, National Grid, BBA Aviation
7th Mar 2011 12:31
Nomura trims earnings estimates at Whitbread due to increased costs, but revenue assumptions are unchanged and the broker keeps its 'buy rating. Fourth quarter revenue for the hotel, coffee shops and pubs group was in line with expectations and full year turnover is likely to show a like-for-life (
Read moreBroker snap: Whitbread rating unaffected by higher input prices
7th Mar 2011 11:00
Nomura trims earnings estimates at Whitbread due to increased costs, but revenue assumptions are unchanged and the broker keeps its 'buy rating. Fourth quarter revenue for the hotel, coffee shops and pubs group was in line with expectations and full year turnover is likely to show a like-for-life (
Read moreFD's wife snaps up Micro Focus shares
3rd Mar 2011 16:51
The wife of Micro Focus International finance director Mike Phillips has taken advantage of the weak share price to invest £90,000 in the software provider's shares. Mrs Josephine Phillips has bought 29,139 shares at 308.86p each. That takes her stake to 69,139 shares. The shares were trading at
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