January 2019


Cussons shares fall 15% on profit warning

Shares of Manchester-based soaps and consumer products company PZ Cussons fell 15% on Tuesday after it said it expects a decline in profit for the year ending May,…











Accrol CFO quits amid FCA investigation

A day after it revealed it is being investigated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Blackburn-based tissue maker Accrol Group said on Tuesday its chief…


Co-op to sell CIS insurance arm for £185m

Manchester-based Co-op Group said on Friday it agreed to sell its insurance underwriting business, CIS General Insurance Limited, to Markerstudy for about £185 million. Co-op Group said…


Eddie Stobart revenue up 35% to £843m

Warrington-based Eddie Stobart Logistics plc said on Friday its revenues for the financial year grew 35% to approximately £843 million, ahead of market expectations. In a…



Sage Q1 revenue hits £465m as subscriptions boom

Newcastle-based software giant Sage Group, the UK’s largest listed tech company, said on Thursday its group “organic” revenue increased 7.6% to £465 million for the first three months…


Sage to sell US payroll business for £78m

Newcastle-based software giant Sage Group, the UK’s largest listed tech company, said on Wednesday it agreed to sell its US-based business Sage Payroll Solutions (SPR)…





Ousted Stobart chief buys 12.2% of Flybe

The former chief executive officer of Carlisle-based Stobart Group Ltd, Andrew Tinkler, has bought a stake of just over 12% in British airline Flybe Group…




Stobart, Virgin group buy Flybe

Carlisle-based aviation, energy and transport firm Stobart Group has teamed up with Virgin Atlantic and Cyrus Capital to buy Flybe for a cut-price £2.2 million. A joint venture…


AO World enjoys highest sales month ever

Bolton-based online electrical retailer AO World said on Friday its revenue rose 8.2% in its third quarter, the three months to December 31, 2018. In a…


DFS Furniture warns of Brexit product delays

Doncaster-based DFS Furniture on Thursday reported underlying gross sales growth of 10% in a trading update for the five months to December 30, 2018. However DFS warned…


B&M quarterly sales revenue up 12% to £1bn

Liverpool-based bargain retailer B&M European Value Retail said on Thursday its total sales revenue increased 12.1% to £1.087 billion in the 13 week period to December…






Morrisons sales rise, boosted by wholesale

Bradford-based supermarket group Morrisons said on Tuesday group like-for-like (LFL) sales excluding fuel were up 3.6% for the nine weeks to January 6, comprising contributions from…


Footasylum margins slashed amid tough trading

Shares of troubled Footasylum, the recently-floated Rochdale youth footwear and apparel retailer, fell more than 15% after it published an update on its trading performance for the…



Gleeson shares up on strong trading update

Shares of Sheffield-based affordable housebuilder MJ Gleeson plc rose 9% on Monday after it said it expects results for the half-year ended December 31, 2018, “to…



Reed Boardall revenue tops £61m

Yorkshire-based cold storage and transport business The Reed Boardall Group Limited said on Thursday its turnover rose 2.3% to £61.6 million in its last financial…


Landmark Leeds office sold for £32m

Investment manager APAM has acquired the landmark Leeds office building 1 City Square for £32 million on behalf of its client Britannia Invest. Aviva Investors put…


UK central bank appoints Bowe, Gadhia

The Bank of England, the UK’s central bank, said Colette Bowe and Jayne-Anne Gadhia have been appointed as external members of its Financial Policy Committee…


Drax completes £702m ScottishPower acquisition

Selby, North Yorkshire-based power company Drax Group plc said on Wednesday it completed the acquisition of ScottishPower’s portfolio of pumped storage, hydro and gas-fired generation….