To date, a small, exclusive club of UK retailers have exceeded £1 billion in annual profits, a high street elite that includes Tesco (TSCO), Marks & Spencer (MKS) and Kingfisher (KGF). Some may view this £1 billion figure as merely symbolic, but breaching this barrier is no mean feat and demonstrates a retailer has a lasting place in consumers' affections and the scale to win in a competitive ma

Retail and hospitality companies have slammed the UK government's Budget as a raid on corporate coffers that will heap extra costs on already hard-pressed sectors, with Labour's 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage and uplift in employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) forecast to lead to job cuts and price hikes.Chancellor Rachel Reeves' lowering of the employers' NIC threshold to

Next executive director sells £2.6 million sharesRamsdens director sells 125,000 sharesGreggs director sells £1.85 million sharesJeremy Stakol, executive director at fashion and homeware retailer Next (NXT) and his wife Marcelle Stakol have sold 26,523 shares at £98.79 for a total value of £2.6 million on 10 October.Stakol's move comes after the company raised its year-to-January-2025 profit g

Greggs (GRG)Buy at £29.79Market Cap: £3 billionBack in July we flagged food-on-the-go purveyor Greggs (GRG) as a mid-cap 'star' thanks to its ability to consistently grow its earnings at a double-digit rate and its attractive valuation. The shares have put on a couple of pounds in the last couple of months, and although sales in July and August were slightly slower than expected, most likely due

On track to open between 140 and 160 net new shopsFull year outcome unchanged from previous guidanceCompany-managed shop like-for-like sales up 5%Shares in Greggs (GRG) were down more than 3% to £30.07 as investors expressed mild dissatisfaction with the UK bakery chain's third-quarter trading update.Reporting a 10.6% rise in total sales for the 13 weeks to 28 September, and 12.7% year-to-date, t

Have we just seen the first hints of a market rotation away from tech and go-go growth and back to value stocks? Nvidia's (NVDA:NASDAQ) recent 13% three-day share price decline was newsworthy as it knocked $429 billion off its market valuation. Look beyond the headlines and you will see something else interesting bubbling under the surface.It is impossible to draw any firm conclusions from such a

Now the ballots have been cast at the general election, the UK could become the 'reassuringly boring' market, both politically and fiscally, when compared to the more extreme politics on the other side of the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean.So suggests Jean Roche, manager of the Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP), who notes capital allocators know more or less what to expect, which could explain th

Full-year results from Greggs (GRG) on 5 March painted a picture of a company doing so well in its domestic territory that one has to ask when it might export the successful business model abroad.Greggs? profits and market share are growing, it is investing in manufacturing and distribution expansion, and shareholders are getting a special dividend. While the company is confident it can add at lea

Full year profit rises 13.1%2024 off to good startUnexpected extra payoutFood-to-go specialist Greggs (GRG) continues to deliver tasty sales and profit growth despite the tough economic backdrop with its value proposition shining through during the cost-of-living crisis.Shares in the bakery retailer rose 4.6% to £28.40 on Tuesday morning after Greggs served up strong full-year results, announced

Investors will ravenously digest comments on the current trading environment when UK food-to-go specialist Greggs (GRG) delivers its full-year results on 5 March.While the value-for-money sausage roll, coffee and Yum Yums retailer has enjoyed positive momentum supported by its value-for-money proposition, extended trading hours and deliveries, an upgrade to guidance feels like a stretch with the f

The retail sector accounts for £104 billion of the FTSE 350 index by value of its 22 constituents, making it of significant importance to the UK stock market and to any investor with exposure to UK equities.The fortunes of retailers can tell us about the state of the consumer and in turn provide clues on economic activity. Therefore, even if you do not have exposure to individual stocks in this s

Primark?s Christmas trading performance, as well as management commentary around trading early in the new calendar year, will be the main focus when the discount fashion chain?s parent Associated British Foods (ABF) next updates the market on 23 January. With a tailwind from the cost-of-living crisis, value-focused retailers and discounters including German grocers Aldi and Lidl, bargain stores gi

Fourth-quarter like-for-likes up 9.4%Full-year profit guidance maintainedBetter-than-expected cash in coffersTyneside baker Greggs (GRG) topped the FTSE 250 leader board, with shares in the food-on-the-go retailer rising 7% to £26.46 following a tasty fourth-quarter trading update which showed like-for-like sales remained strong despite demanding prior-year comparatives.The value-for-money sausag

Stock prices in London were mixed on Wednesday morning, as investors looked ahead to US inflation data and weighed continued geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.The FTSE 100 index opened down 25.03 points, 0.3%, at 7,658.88. The FTSE 250 was up 12.96 points, 0.1%, at 19,306.98, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.27 of a point at 752.93.The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 765.32, the Cboe UK 250 was

Next kicks off festive reporting seasonScope for upbeat news from B&MPotential Christmas winners include CurrysRetail bellwether Next (NXT) kicks off the post-Christmas reporting season on 4 January followed by discounters B&M European Value Retail (BME) and Shoe Zone (SHOE:AIM) on 9 January.Investors will be eager to learn if the sector benefited from some last-minute festive shopping when all th

The difficulties in hitting its ambitious growth targets were laid bare in Greggs' (GRG) third-quarter trading update (3 October) and combined with a lack of earnings upgrades the shares continue to lose the momentum they had built up over late 2022 and into 2023.There were things to like from the statement, including strong like-for-like sales growth, further market share gains and a welcome easi

Stocks in London finished in the red on Tuesday, as interest rate rise fears continued to grow following unexpectedly strong US job openings data.The FTSE 100 index closed down 40.56 points, or 0.5% at 7,470.16 on Tuesday. The FTSE 250 ended 299.53 points, or 1.7%, at 17,677.76. The AIM All-Share closed down 14.20 points, or 2.0%, at 703.44.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.5% at 745.71, the Cboe UK 25

Stock prices were mixed in London on Tuesday at midday, although Asia-focused lenders HSBC and Standard Chartered helped the FTSE 100 outperform European peers, which continued to struggle on US interest rate fears and rising yields.Also boosting the FTSE 100 were defensive shares, such as pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.Elsewhere, boohoo slumped, after cutting revenue guidance.The FTSE 100 ind

Sales and market share continue to riseSlowing cost inflation to lift marginsFull-year results baked inConvenience food purveyor Greggs (GRG) served up a tasty third-quarter trading update showing strong like-for-like sales growth and further market share gains.However, a soggy market backdrop, a lack of earnings upgrades, reduced guidance for store expansion and a feeling the stock is fairly valu

Budget food-on-the-go outfit Greggs (GRG) reports it third quarter trading update on 3 October.The company's affordable food options have helped bake some resilience into its demand profile despite pressured household budgets. It continues to roll out new sites as well as keeping some existing sites open for longer to capture trade throughout the day.Greggs has set a target to open 150 net new sto