UK-listed consumer goods giant Unilever (ULVR) is in the middle of a well-publicised restructuring which involves focusing on the product ranges in its portfolio which it feels resonate most strongly with shoppers. The decision to focus on these so called 'power brands' is just the latest illustration of how much brands matter, how there is a clear hierarchy for brands, how their fortunes can...

The FTSE 100 has climbed almost 20% in a straight-line since the dark days of 'Liberation Day' in early April to make new all-time highs of 9,175. The relentless rally has also seen more shares notch up highs in the wake of positive sentiment. This type of market backdrop is often a fertile hunting ground for short sellers, that is, institutions looking to make money from a subsequent fall in...

Heatwaves hit H1 sales Concerns over 'peak Greggs' resurface Contract win with Tesco Following its surprise profit warning earlier this month, food-on-the-go retailer Greggs (GRG) confirmed guidance for full-year 2025 earnings to drop below last year's levels as the value sausage rolls-to-sandwiches retailer continues to grapple with tougher trading conditions. With inflation biting into...

Full-year profit downgraded High temperatures hurt sales Cost inflation outlook unchanged Food-to-go brand Greggs (GRG) warned this year's operating profit could be 'modestly below' the £195.3 million generated in 2024, with the bakery chain blaming the recent heatwave for a downturn in trading. The unscheduled trading update triggered downgrades from analysts, who were predicting flat...

Positive like-for-likes in first 20 weeks Product innovation driving growth Supply chain investments on track Shares in Greggs (GRG) rallied 7.4% to £21.46 after the food-to-go brand reported an improvement in trading over the past 11 weeks, driven by product innovation as well as the sunnier British weather. Its been a tough start to 2025 for the value sandwiches-to-sausage rolls seller,...

Food-on-the-go retailer Greggs (GRG) has endured a miserable start to 2025, with its shares down more than 35% year-to date to their lowest levels since 2022.A warning in January from chief executive Roisin Currie of lower consumer confidence, which 'continues to impact high street footfall and expenditure,' constituted an early negative catalyst.That was followed by downbeat guidance...

European indexes sank on Tuesday as fears of a full-blown trade war grew after increased tariffs were imposed against Canada, Mexico and China by the US.The FTSE 100 index ended down 112.31 points, 1.3%, at 8,759.00. The FTSE 250 slumped 431.79 points, 2.1%, at 19,950.50, and the AIM All-Share fell 14.93 points, 2.1%, at 686.87.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 1.6% at 875.00, the Cboe UK 250...

Stock prices in Europe were in the red at Tuesday midday, with airline stocks hit badly in particular, as European countries intend to boost their militaries amid a US freeze on aid for Ukraine.'Investors were desperately hoping that Trump would delay tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China at the eleventh hour, yet the US president has stuck to his guns and brought them into power,' commented AJ...

Sales hit new peak of £2 billionLike-for-like sales growth slowsInvestments to crimp marginsSales topped £2 billion for the first time at Greggs (GRG) last year as the value-for-money sausage roll, coffee and Yum Yums retailer continued to lure in cash-strapped punters.So why did shares in the beloved bakery chain sour 13% to £18.08 today?The catalyst for selling was news of a further...

The latest trading update from Greggs (GRG) saw the shares sink to a 52-week low.Greggs said seasonal lines like its Festive Bake, the all-new Festive flatbread and Gingerbread latte were in high demand, while it opened a record 226 new shops in 2024.So, what went wrong for the UK's favourite food-on-the-go purveyor?Despite solid sales, which hit the historic milestone of £2 billion for the...

Key UK retailers ended Thursday firmly in the red but calmer bond markets and rising commodity prices helped keep blue-chip stocks in the green.The FTSE 100 index ended up 68.66 points, 0.8%, at 8,319.69. The FTSE 250 climbed 52.90 points, 0.3%, at 20,005.14, bouncing from an intra-day low of 19,733.12. The AIM All-Share ended down 0.15 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.96.The Cboe UK 100 closed up...

London's blue-chips were higher around midday on Thursday, but fresh falls in the pound and bond market angst kept domestically-focused stocks on the back foot.The FTSE 100 index was up 46.80 points, 0.6%, at 8,297.83. The FTSE 250 was down 95.22 points, 0.5%, at 19,857.02, and the AIM All-Share lost 0.68 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.43.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.6% at 830.81, the Cboe UK 250 lost...

Challenging second half back dropLower consumer confidenceGreggs passes on price hikes to consumersShares in Greggs (GRG) fell by as much as 10% to £23.46 in morning trading despite the food-on-the-go purveyor reporting a 11.3% rise in full-year 2024 sales to £2 billion.Greggs said seasonal lines were in high demand in the fourth quarter including Festive Bake, the Vegan Festive Bake, and...

UK high street enduringLow ticket leisure a winnerValue retail showing resilienceMany have sounded the death knell for the UK high street, notably during the Covid crisis as retail trends shifted towards online shopping. Yet, the high street has endured amid the consumer's persistent demand for physical retail.And despite many high street stocks successfully adapting to this evolving retail...

Retail and hospitality companies have slammed the UK government's Budget as a raid on corporate coffers that will heap extra costs on already hard-pressed sectors, with Labour's 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage and uplift in employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) forecast to lead to job cuts and price hikes.Chancellor Rachel Reeves' lowering of the employers' NIC threshold...

Next executive director sells £2.6 million sharesRamsdens director sells 125,000 sharesGreggs director sells £1.85 million sharesJeremy Stakol, executive director at fashion and homeware retailer Next (NXT) and his wife Marcelle Stakol have sold 26,523 shares at £98.79 for a total value of £2.6 million on 10 October.Stakol's move comes after the company raised its year-to-January-2025...

Greggs (GRG)Buy at £29.79Market Cap: £3 billionBack in July we flagged food-on-the-go purveyor Greggs (GRG) as a mid-cap 'star' thanks to its ability to consistently grow its earnings at a double-digit rate and its attractive valuation. The shares have put on a couple of pounds in the last couple of months, and although sales in July and August were slightly slower than expected, most likely...

On track to open between 140 and 160 net new shopsFull year outcome unchanged from previous guidanceCompany-managed shop like-for-like sales up 5%Shares in Greggs (GRG) were down more than 3% to £30.07 as investors expressed mild dissatisfaction with the UK bakery chain's third-quarter trading update.Reporting a 10.6% rise in total sales for the 13 weeks to 28 September, and 12.7%...

Have we just seen the first hints of a market rotation away from tech and go-go growth and back to value stocks? Nvidia's (NVDA:NASDAQ) recent 13% three-day share price decline was newsworthy as it knocked $429 billion off its market valuation. Look beyond the headlines and you will see something else interesting bubbling under the surface.It is impossible to draw any firm conclusions from...

Now the ballots have been cast at the general election, the UK could become the 'reassuringly boring' market, both politically and fiscally, when compared to the more extreme politics on the other side of the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean.So suggests Jean Roche, manager of the Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP), who notes capital allocators know more or less what to expect, which could...