Strong festive salesOnline and international drive growthTougher FY26 expectedFirst out of the blocks with its Christmas trading statement, fashion and homewares colossus Next (NXT) raised full-year profit guidance yet again following better-than-expected festive trading with online sales growth accelerating in the fourth quarter.Shares in the FTSE 100 retailer ticked up 3% to £98.40 on the news,

We begin proceedings with two takeover approaches, one successful, the other less so, for now at least.First, Swiss bourse operator SIX agreed to buy UK junior marketplace Aquis Exchange (AQX:AIM) for 727p in cash, representing a 120% premium to the previous closing price of 330p.SIX, which operates the Swiss and Spanish stock markets, called the deal 'a compelling strategic opportunity which will

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

Budget day upgradeQ3 full price sales up 7.6%Annual profit guidance hiked to £1 billionRetail star turn Next (NXT) has raised its year-to-January 2025 profit guidance for the third time in three months after this year's early arrival of cold weather boosted its third quarter sales.Shares in the FTSE 100 company ticked up 1.5% to £102 as the fashion giant upgraded its full-year pre-tax profit gui

Posh handbag maker Mulberry (MUL:AIM) has rejected (1 October) a potential £83 million takeover proposal from Frasers (FRAS), Mike Ashley's sprawling retail conglomerate.Like Lord Wolfson's Next (NXT), Frasers is expanding its stable of brands through acquisitions of, and investments in, distressed retail assets and on 30 September, proposed a 130p cash offer for Mulberry. However, the embattled

Retailer inches towards £1 billion profit markPre-tax profit guidance increased by £15 million'Exceptional' growth overseasClothing and homewares retailer Next (NXT) has raised its year-to-January-2025 profit guidance for the second time in two months.In fact, the high street stalwart is now on the verge of joining the £1 billion pre-tax profit club, quite an achievement considering the difficu

Among the various IPOs (initial public offerings) of the last few years, building materials distributor Lords Group Trading (LORD:AIM) seemed one of the more promising, but unfortunately the damage inflicted on the residential property market by 2022's mini-budget and subsequent regulatory changes have undermined the firm's business. In the six months to the end of June the group posted a 6% drop

Low-cost gym operator Gym Group (GYM) looks to be in good shape ahead of its first-half results, due to be released 11 September.In a pre-close statement on 10 July the company raised its full-year profit expectations to the top end of market forecasts after continued positive trading.Company-compiled analysts forecasts for EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) les

London's FTSE 100 shook off a stronger pound and a robust UK services inflation reading to register its first rise of the week on Wednesday, as investors also digested the latest King's speech, with new Prime Minister Keir Starmer getting his feet firmly under the table at Number 10.A stronger pound is usually a headwind for the international earner-heavy blue-chip index, though some share price r

'Quality investing' is the style pursued by the world's most famous investor Warren Buffett and Terry Smith, arguably the best-known British fund manager who runs the five-star Morningstar-rated Fundsmith Equity (B41YBW7) and consistently favours quality firms. Quality investing has generated strong long-run returns for its practitioners, including Buffett, but how do the leading fund managers off

The FTSE 100 was higher in London on Monday morning, amid a slew of manufacturing data, and as Labour leader Keir Starmer made promises over the weekend to bring down migration.The FTSE 100 index opened up 53.95 points, 0.7%, at 8,328.81. The FTSE 250 was up 114.93 points, or 0.6%, at 20,845.32, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.81 points, or 0.1%, at 806.60.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% at 831.85, the

Investment trust Smithson (SSON) has work to do to repair its relationship with shareholders after recent controversy over a continuation vote at the stablemate of Terry Smith?s Fundsmith Equity (B41YBW7).Smithson, which looks to apply Smith?s ?buy good companies, don?t overpay, do nothing? approach to small- and mid-cap companies, had said to investors at its inception it would consider holding a

CFP SDL Free Spirit (BYYQC27) 160.7pAssets: £66.9 millionInvestors seeking to position portfolios for a re-rating of UK small and mid cap companies and a return to favour for the quality growth style should buy the CFP SDL Free Spirit (BYYQC27) fund. Admittedly, the sister vehicle to Sanford DeLand?s bigger CFP SDL Buffettology (BF0LDZ3) fund lags the IA UK All Companies sector over one and three

The world of fantasy is clearly having a moment. The rise of ?romantasy? authors like Sarah J Maas, who has been a big part of UK publishing outfit Bloomsbury?s (BMY) recent success, have taken the genre out of its previous male-dominated realm to a whole new audience.Bloomsbury?s surging sales and the ongoing phenomenon that is Games Workshop (GAW) are two examples on the UK market which show the

Former publishing industry professional John is in his 50s and has been investing for decades, starting at a very early age.John became an investor in his late teens and has started devoting more time to it over the last 20 years. He has always had an interest in markets, even when he was a young boy of seven or eight.A CHILDHOOD INTEREST IN STOCK MARKET SUCCESSES AND FAILURESHe says: ?I read the

An investor blessed with Nostradamus-like predictive powers who put money to work with Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B:NYSE) in 1964 and held the shares until 2022 would have enjoyed a gargantuan overall gain of 3,787,464% in terms of per share market value, leaving the stellar 24,708% return from the S&P 500 index with dividends included for dust.Under the direction of legendary investor Warren Buffett

Festive trading better than expectedOnline channel drives growthConsumer backdrop looks ?more benign?Clothing and homewares colossus Next (NXT) has once again raised its pre-tax profit guidance for the year ending 27 January 2024, after sales around the key Christmas period proved better than expected.As a result, Lord Wolfson-led Next has bumped up its earnings guidance by £20 million to £905 m

Deal inked following long hiatusCompanies yet to ?agree creative guidelines?FY24 guidance left unchangedFantasy miniatures-maker Games Workshop?s (GAW) deal with Amazon (AMZN:NASDAQ) to develop the Warhammer 40,000 universe into films and TV series has been signed at long last.It has been almost a year to the day since the company announced an ?agreement in principle? with the US tech, retail and

888 rejected a 156p per share offer from PlaytechPotential cost savings of £170 millionJefferies estimates deal could add 20% to combined profitShares in William Hill owner 888 Holdings (888) jumped as much as 18% on Monday to 84p after The Sunday Times revealed the gambling firm received a takeover offer from gambling technology company Playtech (PTEC) at 156p per share back in July.Playtech sha

Stock prices in London opened in the green on Monday, ahead of a US government funding deadline and key inflation data, as insurer Phoenix rose after upgrading its cash generation targets.The FTSE 100 index opened up 48.40 points, 0.7%, at 7,408.95. The FTSE 250 was up 27.17 points, 0.2%, at 17,880.26, and the AIM All-Share was down 0.1 of a point at 701.02.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.7% at 739.62, t