Company Results

• Ann Summers have reported a 7.4% increase in revenues to £109.0m for the year to 24 June 2017. Gross profit increased by 3.4% to £69.8m for the same period. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Conviviality have reported a 9.2% increase in revenue to £836.3m for the 26 weeks to 29 October 2017. Adjusted profit after tax decreased by 1.6% to £12.3m for the same period.

• Findel have reported an 11.0% increase in sales for the 42 weeks to 19 January 2018.

• Radley have reported a 9.0% increase in revenues to £73.3m for the year to April 2017. Underlying earnings decreased by almost 40.0% to £3.4m for the same period. (Source: Verdict)

• H&M have reported a 4.0% decrease in sales for the quarter ending 30 November 2017. Operating profit decreased by 14.0% to £1.9bn for the same period. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Joules Group have reported a 18.2% increase in group revenue to £96.2m for the 26 weeks to 26 November 2017. Underlying profit before tax increased by 24.3% to £9.3m for the same period.

• Pets Corner have reported a 5.7% increase in like-for-like sales for the year to 30 September 2017. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation stood at £6.2m for the same period. (Source: Retail Gazette)

Lifestyle LFLs were down by –1.88% this week from a base of +0.28% for the same week last year. The result marked its second negative in-store week in a row.

Fashion LFLs were down by –1.67% this week from a negative base of -2.55% for the same week last year. 57% of respondents reported negative LFL sales growth in-store this week as discounting continued to be dialled down for some. The result constituted a second negative week in succession for fashion as the poor weather continued.

Homeware LFLs were up by +4.00% this week, perhaps boosted by better footfall at retail parks. The positive result was up from a base of +0.67% for the same week last year. Homeware has been positive in two of the four weeks of the year-to-date.

Non-store sales were up by +18.47% this week, above the +20% threshold and its best week so far in 2018. The result was coming off of a base of +20.24% for the same week last year. Non-store fashion sales made up some ground on in-store sales this week, up by +21.51%, well ahead of lifestyle and homeware non-store growth.

Clothing, Footwear & Accessories

• East, the fashion retailer, have announced that they have entered into administration for the second time in less than three years. East will continue to operate while the administrators analyse options for the sale of all or parts of the retailer. (Source: BBC)

• Farfetch have announced a deal with Chalhoub Group, a company that partners with luxury brands who want to trade in the Middle East, to help them increase their market share in the region. The joint venture will see Farfetch combine their expertise in retail, distribution and marketing of luxury retail across the region with Farfetch’s ecommerce, technology and logistics platforms. (Source: Drapers)

• Fenwick have announced the appointment of Jayne Demuro as their new Buying and Merchandising Director with immediate effect. Prior to joining Fenwick, Jayne was Managing Director of Retail at Soho House for two years. (Source: Drapers)

• JD.com, the Chinese online retailer, have pledged their support to British businesses, by selling £2.0bn of goods from the UK to its Chinese consumers. Over the next two to three years the online retailer will work with the Department of International Trade (DIT) to make it easier for UK companies to sell on JD.com. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• JD Sports have announced the acquisition of Sports Zone, the sports retailer based in Portugal, Spain and Canary Islands, on 31 January 2018. The acquisition will increase JD Sports’ presence across Iberia. (Source: Insider Media)

According to the GfK NOP, the Consumer Confidence Index has increased four points to -9 in January 2018. The ‘climate for major purchase’ index increased five points to +1 in January 2018, while the ‘general economic situation’ during the last 12 months has increased by two points to -29 in January 2018. The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last 12 months increased by two points to -1 in January 2018.

• Kendra Scott, the American accessories company, have announced the launch of their new collection with a creative window partnership at Selfridges in London’s Oxford Street. The window displays, which are made up of precision cut acrylic with highlights of gold, is designed to reflect the brand’s “fresh and innovative” aesthetic for the Spring 18 jewellery collection. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• Liberty London have announced the appointment of Adil Mehboob-Khan as their new Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. Mehboob-Khan takes over the helm of Liberty London after stepping down as Chief Executive Officer of luxury eyewear retailer, Luxottica. (Source: Drapers)

• Marks & Spencer have announced plans to close down 14 stores in the latest phase of their turnaround plan. The retailer will close six stores by April 2018, which include stores in Bournemouth, Birkenhead, Durham, Fforestfach, Redditch, and Putney. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Next have announced plans to open a new store at The Glass Works mall in Barnsley town centre. The 20,000 sq.ft store will be spread over two floors and will offer the retailer’s renowned clothing and footwear. (Source: Retail Times)

• Pep&Co have announced that their Managing Director, Adrian Mountford, and their Trading Director, Cathy Haydon will step down from the business in May 2018. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Primark have announced plans to open a new store at Intu’s Merry Hill Shopping Centre. The new store will have a sales space of 60,000 sq.ft. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Zara have opened their first ever click-and-collect store at Westfield Stratford City in East London. The 2,150 sq.ft store opened on 26 January and will open until May 2018. The store will offer a selection of women’s and men’s clothing for online purchase directly in-store, along with the rest of the brand’s fashion ranges. (Source: The Independent)

Electrical & Entertainment

• Amazon have announced plans to build a new warehouse in Rugby to help meet growing demand for the online retail giant. The fulfilment centre in Rugby will be Amazon’s fourth in the Midlands, and will further add to the 2500 permanent jobs it has already created in the region at warehouses in Rugeley, Coalville and Daventry. (Source: The Grocer)

• Maplin have introduced a new scheme in partnership with financial technology supplier, Klarna, where customers can pay later or spread the cost over time for items ordered online. Pay Later enables online and mobile Maplin customers making purchases of £200 or less to receive their products and pay for them 30 days later, with no interest or fees. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Typo have opened their first store at SouthGate, in South of England. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• WH Smith have announced plans to open a new concept pilot store at St. Pancras International train station, London. The new concept store will prioritise electronic goods like mobile accessories, moving away from its traditional magazine and book model. (Source: Retail Gazette)

Food & Drink

• Holland & Barrett have announced the appointment of Echo Lu as their International Managing Director, succeeding Kyle Rowe with effect from 19 February 2018. She will also be responsible for driving organic, acquisition and franchise opportunities overseas. (Source: Retail Week)

• Spain’s Vita VodkaWater, which makes a vodka designed to be mixed with water, has launched its namesake brand in the UK. (Source: Just Drinks)

• Lidl have announced the launch of online chatbot, Margot, which will act as shoppers’ virtual wine consultant at the tap of a screen and will answer customers’ questions. (Source: Telegraph)

• Morrisons have announced plans to cut 1500 store management roles and create 1700 junior positions. The grocer said that the shake-up was a part of a restructure that would see more customer service staff and fewer managers who have more consistent responsibilities. (Source: Telegraph)

• Ocado have announced the promotion of Luke Jensen, the current boss of their Ocado Solutions Technology business, as their new Executive Director with effect from 01 March 2018. (Source: Reuters)

• AG Barr launches on-draught Funkin cocktail range AG Barr’s pre-made cocktail unit, Funkin, has unveiled its first on-draught cocktails. (Source: Just Drinks)

• Sainsbury’s have announced the acquisition of Nectar, the UK loyalty programme company, in a strategic drive to ensure that the grocer knows its customers “better than anyone else”. The acquisition will see Sainsbury’s take over the UK business of Nectar-owner Aimia. That includes all assets, colleagues, systems and licences required for the full and independent operation of the Nectar loyalty programme in the UK. (Source: Company Press Release)

Household

• House of Fraser have announced the appointment of Simon Pickering as their new Buying and Merchandising Director for clothing and accessories. Simon will join the retailer in mid of February 2018. (Source: The Drum)

• Waterstones, the book retailer, have announced that they have entered talks with activist hedge fund company, Elliot Advisors, for a possible takeover. The high street chain has granted Elliot Investors a period of exclusivity to agree on a deal before it is opened to the wider market. (Source: Telegraph)

Courtesy of ‘Barclays‘