Company Results

• Asda have reported a 3.6% increase in sales for the 12 weeks to 30 September 2017. Like-for-like sales increased by 1.1% for the same period.

• B&M have reported a 21.7% increase in group revenue to £1.3bn for the 26 weeks to 23 September 2017. Like-for-like sales increased by 7.5%, while pre-tax profit increased by 17.8% for the same period.

• Sofa.com have reported a 14.2% increase in UK sales to £27.4m for the 52 weeks to 28 February 2017. UK operating profit decreased by 59.4% for the same period.

• Card Factory have reported a 6.7% increase in total sales for the nine months to 31 October 2017.

• Farfetch have reported an increase in sales from £87.1m to £151.3m for the year to 31 December 2016. Pre-tax loss increased to £34.0m for the same period. (Source: Retail Week)

• Game Digital PLC have reported a 3.6% decrease in revenue to £782.9m for the 52 weeks to 29 July 2017. Loss before tax stood at £10.0m for the same period.

• Ikea UK have reported a 5.8% increase in sales to £1.8bn for the year to 31 August 2017. (Source: BBC)

• Ted Baker have reported a 14.0% increase in group revenue to £295.7m for the 28 weeks to 12 August 2017. Profit before tax increased by 17.8% to £25.3m for the same period.

Lifestyle LFLs were up by +0.18% this week from a base of -2.03% for the same week last year. The result marked its second successive positive week, following two negative weeks prior to that. Results were polarised this week, with 50% of respondents reporting positive LFL growth.
Fashion LFLs were down by a significant -6.50% this week from a strong base of +5.78% last year, which at the time was the second best result of the year to that point. 76% of respondents reported negative LFLs this week.
Homeware LFLs were up by +3.70% from an already strong base of +14.48% for the same week last year. This was the second positive week in a row for homeware, which has been positive in three of the last four weeks.
Non-store LFLs were muted this week as consumers continued to hold back on spending. Well below the +20% threshold, non-store sales were up by +10.65% from a base of +18.26% for the same week last year.

Clothing, Footwear & Accessories

• Birkenstock, the German shoe company, have announced plans to open their first brand-owned flagship store in the UK at London’s Seven Dials, Covent Garden. Covering 1,100 sq.ft over two floors, the shop will stock a collection of sandals for men, women and children. (Source: Drapers)

• Boden, the online and catalogue fashion brand, have opened their first store at Duke of York Square, Chelsea on 10 November 2017. (Source: Retail Week)

• Canada Goose, the luxury clothing brand, have opened their first European flagship boutique on Regent Street, London. The 5,000 sq.ft, two-storey flagship, houses all of Canada Goose’s collections, from crisp, padded parka jackets and fluffy, fur-trimmed bombers to exclusive and speciality coats. (Source: Drapers)

• Debenhams have announced the appointment of Sara Bradley as the new Womenswear Director with immediate effect. Sara will report to CEO, Sergio Bucher. (Source: Retail Gazette)

• Mamas & Papas have unveiled a new look website as a part of their digital-first strategy. The site has been transformed from a transactional online shop into a content ecommerce experience, where parents and would-be parents are guided through pregnancy and beyond. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• McArthurGlen have announced the appointment of their new Chief Customer Officer, Tom Enraght-Moony, with immediate effect. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Snow & Rock have opened a new store at Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent. The 13,000 sq.ft store will stock snowsports clothing and equipment alongside luggage, footwear, camping equipment, clothing, electronics and accessories for climbing, walking and other outdoor pursuits. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• Specsavers have announced a collaboration with Balmain, the French fashion house, to launch a range of 13 glasses and four prescription sunglasses. The collection was launched at the Mandrake, a boutique hotel in the West End of London and is available in all UK and Ireland stores from 8 November 2017. (Source: Company Press Release)

Electrical & Entertainment

• Dixons Carphone have announced the launch of an extended ‘Why Wait’ campaign, their longest ever Black Friday event in order to give shoppers longer to take advantage of their offers. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Game Digital have announced plans to open 35 of their in-store ‘gaming arenas’ by the end of 2018 and 100 or more in the longer term. (Source: Global Data)

Food & Drink

• Asda have announced the appointment of Preyash Thakrar as Chief Strategy Officer, who will join the grocer in a few weeks. Thakrar is at present in charge of strategy and real estate at Walmart Canada. (Source: The Grocer)

• E&J Gallo brings New Amsterdam Vodka campaign to UK – video E&J Gallo has rolled out its latest US activation for New Amsterdam Vodka to the UK market. (Source: Just Drinks)

• Holland & Barrett have announced plans to expand in Europe. The retailer has appointed Colliers International’s Retail Agency to advise on its expansion across the Netherlands and also to manage its real estate portfolio in Belgium. (Source: Retail Times)

• Lidl have announced plans to open a new store in Shepherd’s Bush as part of their expansion plans in Central London. (Source: Global Data)

• Molson Coors has launched a new online video series for its Cobra brand, designed to highlight the UK beer’s food-pairing virtues for a Millennial audience. (Source: Just: Drinks)

• Asahi switches Haigh for Clay as next UK managing director Asahi has appointed Tim Clay to the role of managing director for its UK unit, following the current incumbent’s decision to retire. (Source: Just Drinks)

• Morrisons have announced the addition of Pomegranates to their ‘Wonky’ range. The fruit will come in different sizes and cost 30p, compared to an average of 74p in other UK supermarkets. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Les Grands Chais de France has launched an outdoor digital media campaign for its Calvet wine brand in the UK market, as it looks to take advantage of the festive season.

The trend for craft beer in cans has transferred from the US to the UK, new Nielsen research has revealed, with the booming format now accounting for a quarter of the market.

• Morrisons have also launched an improved range of nearly 1,500 own-brand cook, home and stationery products in all UK stores and online from 07 November 2017. The new range will include cookware, utensils, ovenware and bakeware countertop & kitchen cupboard electricals, dining and tableware etc. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Sainsbury’s have announced the trial of a takeaway pizza ordering service at three of their stores in Redhill, Cambridge Eddington and Bradford. The scheme will be tested for 12 weeks. (Source: Company Press Release)

• Sainsbury’s have also announced their partnership with Williams F1, the Formula 1 team, and rolled out a fridge technology that prevents cold air from the fridges spilling out into the aisle by steering it directly back down into the fridge unit. (Source: Retail Times)

• Scotmid Co-operative have announced the appointment of their new Chairman, John Brodie, replacing Andrew Murphy with effect from 01 January 2018. (Source: Global Data)

Household

• B&M have announced the appointment of their new Chairman, Peter Bamford, in March 2018, replacing Sir Terry Leahy. (Source: Telegraph)

• HEMA, the Dutch retail chain, have announced to open a new store at Tottenham Court Road, London on 22 November 2017. This will bring the number of HEMA stores in London to five and the total number in the UK to seven. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• JML, the UK household products retailer, have launched their new beauty division, JML Cosmetics. The new division will allow the retailer to develop products aimed at a different consumer base. (Source: Retail Bulletin)

• Oak Furniture Land have announced plans to open three physical stores in the US by the summer in 2018 as a part of their expansion strategy. (Source: Retail Week)

• Oak Furniture Land have also announced the appointment of Ruth Harrison-Wood as Chief Marketing Officer with immediate effect. Ruth will lead the retailer’s US stores progress and its store expansion in the UK. (Source: Retail Week)

Courtesy of ‘Barclays‘

Tagged: Asahi, Canada Goose, Cobra, Debenhams, Dixons Carphone