UK & Ireland like-for-likes up 5%Gains in UK and NordicsPost-Budget price rises 'inevitable'Shares in electrical retailer Currys (CURY) topped the FTSE 250 leader board on 12 December, surging 11.5% higher to 88p after the firm reported a rise in first-half profits and a return to sales growth for the core UK & Ireland business despite a tough consumer backdrop.Buoyed by rising demand for AI lapto

Flat underlying profitsDiscretionary spend remains weakHalfords 'comfortable' with FY25 consensusCycling and motoring products purveyor Halfords (HFD) has been the bearer of bad news for some time, with savage earnings downgrades sucking plenty of air from the tyre seller's share price.Today's (26 November) first half results revealed flat profits with discretionary spending weak and consumers rem

Palm oil price up 40%'Significant' boost to profitabilityFurther acquisitions on the agendaShares in MP Evans (MPE:AIM) cultivated a 7.5% rise to £10 in early dealings, marking a new two year high, after the Indonesia-based sustainable palm oil producer upgraded year-to-December 2024 profit guidance off the back of surging palm oil prices, which have risen some 40% year-to-date.A more favourable

Group revenue rises 3.7%New UK import centre for 2026France revenue grows 6.8%Shares in B&M European Value (BME) gained over 3% to 392p in morning trading as the low-priced variety goods retailer said group revenue for the 26 weeks to 28 September increased by 3.7% to £2.64 billion.The increase was driven by UK sales growth, which improved across the first half of the year by 6% against 1.5% in t

Like-for-likes down 0.1%Delivering £30 million of savingsFY 2025 outlook unchangedMotoring-to-cycling products purveyor Halfords (HFD) reported broadly flat first half sales as cash-strapped consumers continued to cut back on big ticket, discretionary purchases.Yet the performance was actually better than it first appeared, when you consider the car batteries and bikes seller was lapping demandin

Fees down 14% in Q1Significant savings being deliveredHays to 'benefit materially' once markets reboundHeadhunter Hays (HAS) has had a hard time of late. Pre-tax profits plunged more than 90% in the year to June 2024 and the recruiter is on a losing streak of negative fee income growth amid a hiring slowdown.The FTSE 250 firm's fortunes failed to reverse in the first quarter of the new financial y

Volume growth and market share gainsNet debt down 2.1% to £9.7 billionInterim dividend upped 10.4%The UK's biggest grocery chain Tesco (TSCO) raised its full-year 2025 earnings guidance after delivering better-than-expected volume growth and a near-10% uplift in profit for the half ended 24 August.Chief executive Ken Murphy insisted his charge is 'in good shape' ahead of Christmas and Britain's b

Adjusted profits down 65.7%Final dividend passedMarket growth 'could soon return'Indebted sofa seller DFS Furniture (DFS) lurched into loss for the year to June 2024 and passed the final dividend following a year marred by weak spending on big ticket items and Red Sea supply disruption.Yet shares in the clear UK living room furniture leader ticked up 2.5% to 117.8p in early dealings on Wednesday t

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

H1 organic growth of 4.1%Power Brands spearheading growthMargin guidance upgrade boosts stockAnother quarter of improving volumes, positive progress with its cost-cutting drive and a massive upgrade to full year margin guidance were key reasons why consumer goods goliath Unilever (ULVR) led the FTSE 100 higher today.The planned sale of its ice cream division, which could fetch as much of £15 bill

Given that the American consumer is buckling under the strain of sticky inflation and high interest rates, Procter & Gamble's (PG:NYSE) organic sales growth performance and forward guidance will be closely monitored when the consumer products powerhouse posts fourth quarter earnings (30 July).Analysts will be hanging on management's every word pertaining to currency headwinds, input cost pressures

London's stocks were shaky going into Wednesday afternoon, despite data showing a pick up in UK private sector growth.Amongst individual stocks, easyJet was flying after it said it is on track to deliver another 'record-breaking summer'.The FTSE 100 index traded 13.83 points lower, or 0.2%, at 8,154.04. The FTSE 250 was down 58.02 points, 0.3%, at 21,033.47, while the AIM All-Share was down 1.34 p

First quarter sales up 2.4%On track to open 45 UK storesNew stores performing wellShares in B&M European Value Retail (BME) gained more than 4% on Tuesday topping the FTSE 100 leaderboard after the discount variety retailer revealed less worse than feared first quarter like-for-like trading in the UK.B&M UK like-for-like sales for the 13 weeks to the end of June declined 3.5% after adjusting for t

Q3 like-for-likes down 9.7%But signs of sales stabilisation'Significant' online gainsTopps Tiles' (TPT) shares slid 4.2% to a 52-week low of 39p after the UK's leading tile specialist reported a 9.7% plunge in third quarter like-for-like sales as 'challenging' market conditions persisted.The share price reaction might have been harsher had Topps not stressed that sales stabilised through the quart

Full year profits plunge2025 year of transitionCost savings of £20 million to £25 millionInvestors in Dr. Martens (DOCS) have endured a torrid time since the iconic footwear firm's 2021 IPO (initial public offering), with the shares booted around 80% lower following a slew of profit warnings.Results for the year ended 31 March 2024 revealed another drop in profits after a challenging year, mostl

Market share gains in clothing and foodFull-year dividend restoredCost savings target increasedShares in Marks & Spencer (MKS) topped the FTSE 100 leader board on Wednesday, rallying 9.1% to a five-year high of 298.6p after the retail giant's full-year results breezed past consensus estimates, prompting Shore Capital to proclaim that 'M&S is back baby!'.Chief executive Stuart Machin's turnaround p

Luxury demand slowdown weighsH1 to remain ?challenging?Wholesale revenue seen 25% lowerSlowing demand for luxury goods continues to impact Burberry (BRBY), whose shares remain firmly out of fashion with investors and cheapened 2.8% to £11.55 on the release of downbeat full-year results.And with the share price having more than halved over the past 12 months, Burberry is now ?a screaming takeover

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (LLY:NYSE) is due to report first-quarter earnings before the market opens on 30 April. Wall Street is expecting EPS (earnings per share) of $2.54 which represents a 57% increase compared with the first quarter of 2023.All eyes will be on sales momentum in Lilly?s diabetes treatment Mounjaro and obesity treatment Zepbound following the latter?s launch in November 202

Full year 2024 profits to meet downgraded guidanceSporting summer to boost sales£1 billion pre-tax profit milestone in sightRetailer JD Sports Fashion (JD.) has a spring in its step again, having damaged its hard-earned credibility with a surprise January profit warning pinned on a softer and more promotional Christmas trading season.Shares in the trainers, tracksuits and running tops seller rall

H1 revenue down 18%Free cash flow improvedCEO sees a ?faster and more agile? ASOSSales at struggling online fast fashion retailer ASOS (ASC) remain in freefall, having plunged by 18% in the first half to 3 March 2024 amid intense competition and the ongoing squeeze on fashionistas? purchasing power and as ASOS focused on reducing stock levels to boost profitability.So why did shares in the fallen