Wine seller?s profitability significantly improvedConfident of a ?positive? 2024 performanceRecruiting new customers remains toughShares in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) bubbled up 1.1% to 38.4p after the direct-to-consumer online wine retailer uncorked news of a ?good? Christmas trading period and reiterated its guidance for the year to June 2024 guidance.The stock has soured more than 30% over one...

The FTSE 100 was held back by miners and oil firms on Tuesday, while other stocks finished on the up, amid a slight recovery for the dollar.The FTSE 100 index closed down 7.72 points, 0.1%, at 7,410.04. The FTSE 250 ended up 14.24 points, 0.1%, at 17,761.71, and the AIM All-Share closed up 0.75 of a point, or 0.1%, at 698.63.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.2% at 739.72, the Cboe UK 250 closed up...

Deluge of UK profit warningsCost of living squeeze and higher interest rates blamedPuts Bank of England rate decision in sharp focusWith investor focus on the Bank of England and Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions later this week, it is noteworthy how many profit warnings were released on Tuesday.'These profit warnings suggest investors need to be on their guard for the next earnings...

- US bank saved by regulators- UK arm rescued by HSBC- Depositors in both banks safeBanking regulators in the US and the UK moved swiftly over the weekend to limit the potential fall-out from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB:NASDAQ) and Silvergate Capital (SI:NYSE) last week.SVB held deposits belonging to half of all venture-backed startups in the US, according to Bloomberg, and on...

Last week saw shares in Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) slump 42% in a day to hit a 21-year intraday low of 84p.Considering the stock traded close to 900p a couple of times last year thanks to the pandemic-driven surge in online consumption, this is a remarkable fall from grace.So, what has happened to the business and why has its direct-to-consumer model fallen so far out of favour with investors?At...

- Online wine retailer delivers growth thanks to repeat customers and subscriptions- Guiding towards breakeven result this year- New customer acquisition to decline further as retailer dials back on marketingOnline wine retailer and clear pandemic winner Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) delivered growth in a much tougher year to March 2022 as repeat customers and subscriptions supported trading.However,...

Shares in Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) rallied 14.7% to 378.4p after the online wine retailer said it delivered results for the year ended 28 March 2022 in line with management's expectations.There was relief that full year sales remained in growth despite a fading pandemic tailwind.The business benefited from strong demand from repeat customers, while Naked Wines also generated positive adjusted...

Despite posting a strong finish to 2021 and forecasting strong trading this spring and summer, theatre operator Cineworld (CINE) is still the most-shorted UK stock according to daily data from the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority).Short sellers are also targeting other companies which are dependent on discretionary spending such as retailers.LIGHTS OUT?Sifting through the FCA data its is clear...

The FTSE 100 slipped lower on Thursday, as miners declined and investors digested news Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) could be hit with an exit tax in the Netherlands ahead of its move to relocating its headquarters to the UK.Early on, the blue chip benchmark traded 0.22% lower at 7,275.32 points, not helped by rising inflation as this raised the likelihood of a pre-Christmas rate rise, thereby...

Shares in specialist 'angel' investor Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) fell 4% to 762p after the firm posted in-line revenues and a small loss for the year to March.Total sales were up 68% to £340.2 million compared with consensus estimates of just below £340 million, while earnings before interest and taxes were negative to the tune of £1.5 million against a consensus of minus £8.5 million.The...

If you missed out on the pandemic-driven share price gains at Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) fear not, for another listed online wine retailer offers a tasty proposition and fruitful growth prospects.Open a position in Virgin Wines (VINO:AIM) at 224p, where the stock market newcomer trades at a steep discount to online peers.Based on estimates for the year to June 2022, Virgin Wines trades on 19.1...

We are championing UK stocks despite the introduction of the latest lockdown measures. For more than four years London-listed shares have trailed in the wake of nearly all other major global markets, but the early Christmas present of a Brexit deal should end much of the uncertainty which led to this underperformance.We are already seeing a dramatic reversal in fortunes with the FTSE 100 going...

After an extraordinary year we look back at some of the top performers in different size categories from the heavyweights all the way down to sub £100 million market cap stocks at the bottom of the market and examine what has driven them higher in 2020. We have excluded investment trusts.£4 billion + market capShare price movements in mining companies can be about exposure to the commodities...

A second national lockdown in England and restrictions in Wales and Scotland mean the run-up to Christmas 2020 will be very different to anything retailers and shoppers have experienced before. This year is going to be a digital Christmas and that has implications for numerous companies on the stock market, which we will explore in this article.People have started ordering goods online far in...

London's FTSE traded lower on Thursday, the blue chip benchmark down 0.97% at 6,323.56 points following a soft session on Wall Street and in spite of positive vaccine updates.Investors remained concerned by the continuing spread of coronavirus, worried that Covid-19 restrictions will slow the economic recovery, as well as by the lack of progress on a new stimulus aid package across the...

Nick Devlin, chief executive of high-flying Naked Wines (WINE:AIM), has demonstrated confidence in the online wine seller's long-run growth story by buying the best part of £20,000 worth of stock.A beneficiary of the inflection in consumer demand for online wine as a result of the pandemic, Naked Wines' share price has more than doubled since the March lockdown to trade at 469p.Nevertheless,...

UK stocks were weakeer on Friday with the FTSE 100 index closing near its lows for the day, down 88 points or 1.4% to 6,124.Weighing on the benchmark were travel and leisure stocks and large insurers such as Legal & General (LGEN), M&G (MNG) and Prudential (PRU).Continuing geopolitical tensions between the US and China offset the positive news that UK retail sales bounced back faster than...

London's FTSE 100 traded 1.1% lower on Friday at 6,145 as geopolitical tensions between the US and China offset the positive news that UK retail sales bounced back in June and industrial confidence soared this month.US-Sino relations hit a new low after China ordered the US to shut a consulate in Chengdu, in retaliation for being ordered to shut a consulate in Houston, sending the US dollar...

London's FTSE 100 traded 1.65% lower on Friday at 6,109.18 as geopolitical tensions between the US and China offset any positive sentiment generated from the news UK retail sales bounced back 13.9% in June as lockdown measures were eased.US-Sino relations hit a new low after China ordered the US to shut a consulate in Chengdu, in retaliation for being ordered to shut a consulate in...

We've all been buying fridges, wine and sparkly tops this year, judging by how the market has rewarded certain retail stocks.There has been a lot of chatter about how alcohol sales have increased during lockdown, so it's no surprise to see online specialist Naked Wines (WINE:AIM) become the second best retail stock in share price terms year-to-date.Boohoo's (BOO:AIM) ongoing success has also...