With most of the big names in the retail sector having reported we can get a decent picture of how the sector fared in the run-up to and during the festive period. A weak trading backdrop for non-food retail in October and November, before Santa delivered a return to growth in December, a month that also witnessed a notable shift to online sales according to the latest data (17 January) from...

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were higher at midday Tuesday, with London's FTSE 100 up slightly despite oil major BP losing ground as it eyes lower production figures.Meanwhile in the UK, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will move to reassure turbulent markets amid high government borrowing costs as she faces a grilling from MPs later today.The UK chancellor will answer questions in the...

UK high street enduringLow ticket leisure a winnerValue retail showing resilienceMany have sounded the death knell for the UK high street, notably during the Covid crisis as retail trends shifted towards online shopping. Yet, the high street has endured amid the consumer's persistent demand for physical retail.And despite many high street stocks successfully adapting to this evolving retail...

The FTSE 100 index closed up on Thursday, with AstraZeneca shares rising on US FDA approval of its Imfinzi treatment.Also on Thursday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer promised a 'relentless focus on delivering for working people' ahead of a major speech setting out targets to measure progress on his government's plans.AJ Bell's Danni Hewson noted: 'The prime minister today said that households...

Card Factory (CARD) 95.6pLoss to date: 3.3%We urged readers to buy Card Factory (CARD) at 98.9p on 11 July on the grounds the cash-generative retailer's growth prospects were underappreciated and its low valuation suggested significant re-rating scope.Shares also highlighted the value-focused greetings card-to-gift seller's modest share of a large TAM (total addressable market) and its...

First half profits plungeFirst interim dividend in five yearsFull year guidance unchangedFollowing a stunning run into the numbers, shares in Card Factory (CARD) cheapened 16% to 121p after the value-focused greeting cards-to-party supplies retailer delivered a drop in first half earnings and warned full year profits will be second half weighted.While some investors took profits on the...

Stocks in Europe returned some of the prior day's gains on Friday, as sentiment took a knock from gloomy updates from FedEx and Mercedes.The FTSE 100 index was down 40.78 points, 0.5%, at 8,287.94, above early lows. The FTSE 250 slid 199.96 points, 0.9%, at 20,962.75, and the AIM All-Share eased 1.27 points, 0.2%, at 746.81.The Cboe UK 100 fell 0.5% to 829.89, the Cboe UK 250 dipped 1.0% to...

Cards-to-gifts seller reinstates shareholder rewardStore estate performing wellFY25 profits will be second half weightedShares in Card Factory (CARD) rallied 6% to 106.6p after the value-focused greeting cards-to-party supplies retailer announced a welcome return to the dividend list, having paused payouts during the pandemic.The reinstatement of dividends signalled confidence from Card...

UK stocks look cheap on so many different valuation metrics, not just one or two, suggesting a robust, genuine investment opportunity is available to long-term investors. So why does nobody seem convinced?This article explores the scepticism surrounding the UK?s market?s attractive valuation and examines the underlying evidence to support it. Shares concludes UK stocks really are a compelling...

European equities struggled to find their groove on Tuesday, as the FTSE 100 finds gains hard to come by in a tricky January so far, while stocks in New York are set for a tepid return to trading.The FTSE 100 index was down 36.20 points, 0.5%, at 7,558.71. It has fallen over 2% since the start of the year. Heading into Tuesday, it had 10 days of trading in the new year. It rose in just three...

Upgrade cycle continuesChristmas like-for-likes up 7.8%Card Factory heaps pressure on competitorsValue-focused greeting cards and gifts retailer Card Factory (CARD) has delivered yet another earnings guidance upgrade off the back of strong Christmas sales across stores and online.And with positive momentum building under CEO Darcy Willson-Rymer?s new strategy, Card Factory is heaping pressure...

We are now a little more than a fortnight away from Christmas Day with TV adverts pushing festive products, high streets adorned with Christmas decorations and shops flush with discount offers.The so-called 'Golden Quarter' including Black Friday is the most hotly contested period of the year amongst retailers and those that suffer disappointing sales or resort to overly-promotional strategies...

Value stocks have outperformed growth stocks by 12% since Pfizer (PFE:NYSE) announced the first effective Covid-19 vaccine on 9 November 2020. That's comparing the MSCI World Value index against the MSCI World Growth index.We have reason to believe the value investing style could soon deliver even bigger outperformance given the shift in the backdrop from cheap money to more normalised...

First-half results demonstrate appealBackground comment misconstruedCompany positive ahead of festive periodShares in greetings card and gift seller Card Factory (CARD) dropped after the firm posted strong first-half earnings but commentators focused instead on the firm's comment regarding the 'challenging economic backdrop' ahead of the key Christmas period.Having gained over 50% so far this...

Inflationary pressures playing to Card Factory's strengthsProfit to be 'materially ahead' of guidanceClintons' problems positive for Card Factory's competitive positionValue-for-money greetings cards and gifts retailer Card Factory (CARD) has cheered investors with yet another earnings upgrade as the cost-of-living crisis continues to drive cash-strapped shoppers to its stores.Following a...

Equities in Europe opened in negative territory on Monday, with markets seeing little reason to push higher ahead of inflation data drivers later this week.Inflation readings from the US and China are reported this week, and stock market investors will be hoping for two differing outcomes. In the US, another inflation slowdown is the ideal outcome, as it would take some sting out of Federal...

Although the latest UK inflation figures are easy off, the cost-of-living crisis is still alive and kicking, as food, energy and petrol costs remain stubbornly high.This is bad news for consumers but good news for some companies who are benefiting from the doom and gloom on the high street and in households. Here are 10 names doing well.Shoe ZoneFootwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE:AIM) sells...

Despite inflationary pressures and a cost-of-living crisis that is squeezing consumers' real disposable income, shares in household name retailers with nationwide physical store footprints have rallied hard since the back end of 2022.They include British retail institution Marks & Spencer (MKS), variety goods discounter B&M (BME), cut-price greeting cards seller Card Factory (CARD), athleisure...

- Online cards seller reiterates 2023 guidance- Record UK Mother's Day delivered- Confident of revenue growth return in 2024Given headwinds from postal strikes, the post-pandemic return to in-store shopping and a cost-of-living squeeze, investors had feared another guidance cut from Moonpig (MOON), one of the retail sector's most-shorted stocks.However, shares in the online greetings cards and...

With the FTSE 100 hitting new all-time highs and global stock markets in the ascendency since the Autumn it has arguably become more difficult to find stocks which offer good value.This article delves into the unloved parts of the UK stock market to search for opportunities which investors may have missed. A problem with looking at cheaper stocks is they may be cheap for good reason and they...