Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

B&M puts loss-making German unit under review

B&M European Value Retail wrote down the value of its German unit Jawoll and put it under review.

The latest move by the company came as the unit turned into a loss-maker earlier this week.


Jawoll, which was acquired by the B&M in 2014, recorded a 3.2 per cent rise in sales but fell to a loss of £12.2 million, in the first half of its financial year.

Shares in B&M were moved down earlier week over seven per cent, paring gains for 2019 to 24.3 per cent.

The performance in Germany overshadowed a firm first half from its main British business.

The Indian-origin Simon Arora-led company has 98 stores in Germany, primarily operating under the Jawoll brand.

B&M trades from 645 stores in the UK operating under the B&M brand and 290 stores under the Heron Foods and B&M Express brands.

B&M’s overall pretax profit moved down by 70.5 per cent to £32.2m, which included an impairment charge of £59.5m relating to its German unit, the company said in its financial report for its first half ended in September.

Arora, B&M’s chief executive, blamed the company’s German team, which had ordered higher stock while trading at the Jawoll chain remained weak.

About 50 per cent of Jawoll’s £12m losses were due to an increase in warehouse and transport costs.

The group’s latest setback is a rare negative development for the Liverpool-based B&M.

Arora, 49, started his business in 1995 supplying low price products from Asia to retailers before acquiring B&M in 2004, which is valued at £3.5 billion.

B&M makes 86 per cent of its sales from its British stores, where sales rose by 13.8 per cent.

The Asian-origin top executive of the business said that he was moving ahead with plans to raise the number of stores from 645 to 950.

More For You

Essar-Oil-UK-Getty

Essar Oil UK is advancing decarbonization at its Stanlow Refinery with two key projects supported by Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) grants. (Photo: Getty Images)

Essar, 24 other firms get £51.9m to cut industrial carbon emissions

THE GOVERNMENT has allocated £51.9 million to support 25 businesses in reducing carbon emissions as part of the Plan for Change aimed at driving economic growth and rebuilding Britain.

The funding covers projects across various industries, including food manufacturing, cement production, and glass processing.
Companies receiving funding include Essar Oil UK, Nestlé's coffee processing site in Staffordshire, Heinz's baked bean factory in Wigan, and Hanson Cement in North Wales.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesla-Getty

Tesla has faced challenges in 2024, reporting its first annual decline in deliveries as incentives failed to increase demand for its ageing vehicle lineup. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tesla received nearly £200m in UK government grants since 2016: Report

ELON MUSK’s electric vehicle company Tesla has received £191 million in grants from the UK government since 2016, according to an analysis by Tussell.

The majority of the funding, £188m, was provided by the Department for Transport (DfT) through the plug-in car grant scheme, which aimed to promote the adoption of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
CES-2025

CES 2025, organised by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), will be held from 7 to 10 January.

Indian tech innovations to shine at CES 2025, says top executive

THE INDIAN technology sector continues to capture attention, with several startups and entrepreneurs showcasing their innovations at CES 2025, the world's largest tech event.

John Kelley, vice president and show director of CES, described the Indian tech story as “fascinating” and highlighted its growing global significance.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anil Agarwal acquires London's historic Riverside Studios

Anil Agarwal

Anil Agarwal acquires London's historic Riverside Studios

THE founder and chairman of Vedanta group Anil Agarwal is the new owner of the iconic Riverside Studio in London, a statement said on Wednesday (8).

The 100-year-old studio, which is a renowned global centre for arts and located on the north bank of the river Thames in the centre of London, will now operate under the name ‘Anil Agarwal Riverside Studios Trust’, it informed.

Keep ReadingShow less
india-gdp-iStock

India's GDP growth was 9.7 per cent in 2021-22, 7 per cent in 2022-23, and 8.2 per cent in 2023-24. )Representational image: iStock)

India's GDP growth projected to fall to 6.4 per cent in FY25

INDIA's gross domestic product (GDP) growth is projected to decline to 6.4 per cent in the financial year 2024-25, marking its lowest rate in four years, according to government data released on Tuesday. The slowdown is attributed to weaker performance in the manufacturing and services sectors.

The growth rate of 6.4 per cent, estimated by the national statistics office (NSO), is the lowest since the contraction of 5.8 per cent recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21. GDP growth was 9.7 per cent in 2021-22, 7 per cent in 2022-23, and 8.2 per cent in 2023-24.

Keep ReadingShow less