There was a general wringing of hands on 19 April over the latest monthly retail sales figures published by the ONS (Office for National Statistics) which showed the volume of goods bought flatlined from February to March rather than increasing by 0.3% as expected.However, when measured on an annual basis rather than a month-on-month basis ? which to our mind seems a much fairer comparison ? volum

Like-for-like sales trend worsensProfits to be second-half weightedLiberum halves FY24 estimatesLike-for-like sales tumbled 11.3% in the second quarter at Topps Tiles (TPT) amid persistently subdued demand in the UK RMI (repair, maintenance and improvement) market, especially for bigger-ticket projects.Shares in the UK?s market-leading tile retailer cheapened 3% to 42.7p on a warning first-half pr

Annual profits plunge 25%FY25 guidance downgradedDIY retailer issues cautious outlookHome improvement giant Kingfisher (KGF) has warned profits for the year to January 2025 will fall short of City forecasts.The latest earnings alert will heap further pressure on chief executive Thierry Garnier to accelerate the B&Q-to-Screwfix owner?s turnaround plan, having already stripped significant costs from

Kingfisher (KGF) 223.5pMarket cap: £4.27 billionInvestors seeking to buy a retail market leader whose shares look just too cheap should peck away at Kingfisher (KGF), the home improvement giant behind the B&Q and Screwfix store chains. Shares concedes we could be a touch early with our ?buy? call, since the £4.3 billion cap is grappling with fragile consumer confidence, particularly in France, a

Even today?s market giants started out small. Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) may now be the world?s largest company with a $3 trillion valuation which rivals the GDP of some major global economies but it began life as a start-up founded by Harvard College drop-out Bill Gates and his childhood friend Paul Allen. Few then would have predicted its global domination today.While we are not expecting the names

Shares fall on full-year warningSlower demand and mild weather to blameNew contract win benefits to come later than expectedShares Speedy Hire (SDY) sank 17% to 29.9p after the tool and equipment hire company said full year profit to the end of March would be below prior expectations.Today?s fall is the biggest since 22 November after the company reported a 58% drop in first half profit but foreca

As we approach the end of the year it is an opportune moment to shine a light on some of this year's least-loved stocks.Rather than look at the stocks which have lost the most, we have collected together those trading at or near their lows for the year along with those with the fewest friends in the analyst community and those which the hedge fund community thinks are outright shorts.If we first t

We are now a little more than a fortnight away from Christmas Day with TV adverts pushing festive products, high streets adorned with Christmas decorations and shops flush with discount offers.The so-called 'Golden Quarter' including Black Friday is the most hotly contested period of the year amongst retailers and those that suffer disappointing sales or resort to overly-promotional strategies typ

DIY giant issues another profit warningWeakness in France continuesUK consumer remains resilientKingfisher (KGF) was the FTSE 100?s biggest casualty on Wednesday, with shares in the home improvement giant cheapening 7% to 215.1p after the B&Q owner downgraded full year profit guidance for the second time in three months amid ongoing weakness in France.Group like-for-like sales were down 3.4% in th

According to Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's highly respected colleague and co-manager of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B:NYSE), 'All intelligent investing is value investing, acquiring more than you are paying for.'Or, as Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital Management puts it, 'It's not what you buy, it's what you pay, and success in investing doesn't come from buying good things but from buying things we

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 season

Earnings guidance downgradedWeak trading in Poland and FranceNew £300 million buyback announcedHome improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF) was the FTSE 100's biggest faller on Tuesday, shares in the DIY products purveyor plunging 7% to 219.9p. The drop came after cutting its annual profit outlook amid poor trading from its Polish operations and a lacklustre turn in France, where consumer confidenc

Q1 like for like sales hit by poor weatherCompany reiterates full year guidanceTrading improved since early AprilHome improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF) said first quarter like-for-like sales fell 3.3% as poor spring weather impacted demand for seasonal products.The shares fell 1.6% to 242.9p, leaving them flat on the year and down around 16% since early February.Sales for the three months to 3

Institutional investors continue to bet against consumer-facing companies, despite the International Monetary Fund predicting that advanced economies including the UK could return to ultra-low interest rates once inflation is tamed.The IMF argues recent increases in interest rates are likely to prove temporary. When inflation is brought back under control, it says central banks are likely to ease

An under-the-radar constituent of the IA UK Equity Income sector that is delivering stellar returns despite difficult market conditions is VT Tyndall Real Income Fund (BYX0D61). Small at £18.9 million of assets, it is big on ambition under the stewardship of manager Simon Murphy and competitive on cost, with a lowly annual management charge of 0.35%.Murphy took over the fund right before the pand

- In-store sales growth offsets online decline- Firm talks up new store opening plan- Analysts unlikely to push through upgradesPan-European home improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF) pleased investors initially with both its latest results, which were slightly ahead of market expectations, and a new strategic plan to improve shareholder returns.However, the shares, which initially gained as much

FevertreeCan the posh mixers maker regain some fizz when it posts 2022 results?After enjoying years of fizzing earnings upgrades and share price gains off the back of its 2014 stock market listing, posh mixers maker Fevertree (FEVR:AIM) has gone flat in recent times.In January the company downgraded 2023 guidance thanks to rising costs - this negative news coming off the back of three profit warni

- Sales still growing despite weak consumption- Overseas operations showing good momentum- Full year guidance trimmedDIY retail group Kingfisher (KGF) posted a solid third quarter trading update but lowered its full year profit outlook due to what it called the 'challenging' outlook for consumer spending.Having rallied 25% from their late October low, the shares gave back some ground dipping 1.6%

Recent trading updates from various builders' merchants and building supplies companies suggest homeowners are no longer spending as freely on 'doing up the house' as they were during the pandemic.When everyone was cooped up at home in the first half of 2020 with cash to spare and DIY stores were classed as 'essential' and were therefore allowed to open, spending on home improvement sky-rocketed e

- Third quarter sales down 16% - Marshalls stock falls 28%- News will worry shareholders in other DIY chainsPatio and paving firm Marshalls (MSLH) reported a sharp decline in sales to the home renovation and DIY market in the three months to September as consumers slammed on the brakes ahead of the hike in household fuel bills this month.It is a warning that should make investors in several other