Updates from Dixons Carphone, WH Smith and Workspace Group

Updated
savings, tax, stockmarket, pensions, cash, investment FTSE 100, Workspace Group, WH Smith, Dixons Carphone
savings, tax, stockmarket, pensions, cash, investment FTSE 100, Workspace Group, WH Smith, Dixons Carphone

Tobacco concern helped drag the FTSE 100 again slightly on Tuesday, sinking 25 points to 6,928.2. Imperial Tobacco Group and British American Tobacco lost 2.9% and 2.4% respectively (to 3210p and 3506p). On the other hand miners Anglo American and Antofagasta saw 4.5% and 3.1% gains. There was some modest respite also for retailer Morrisons, up 1.8% to 172.50p.

Stateside, the Dow Jones was 28 points adrift to 18,011.9, or 0.16% down. Intel shares slumped 1.8% though US energy shares fared better. Today, Greek PM Alexis Tsipras makes for Brussels in hope of sealing a debt deal.

Let's start with Dixons Carphone and a Q4 update. Group Q4 like-for-like revenues are up 9%, full year 6% higher. Group headline profits before tax are expected to be slightly above the £355-£375m range; slighty above guidance, in other words.

Crucially, like-for-like sales in the UK are up 13% in the last quarter. Dixons claims further market share gains across electricals and mobile in the UK & Ireland, Nordics and Greece; gross margins were stable in the full year.

"Q4 like-for-like revenue growth of 8% reflected a significant improvement on the Christmas quarter," says the company, "driven by a strong like-for-like performance in Greece, despite the political backdrop."

Staying with retail we move onto WH Smith and trading for the 13 weeks to 30 May. Total Group sales were up 1% with like-for-like sales flat, compared to the same period last year. Travel business total sales were up 8% in the period with like-for-like sales up 4%.

High Street business total sales were down 4% with like-for-like sales also down 4%, in line with expectations and strategy, claims the retailer.

"We will continue," says WH Smith, "to focus on profitable growth and cash generation while investing in new opportunities in both Travel and High Street that position us well for the future."

Finally, Workspace Group. Profit before tax rises 43% to £360.0m (2014: £252.5m) with adjusted trading profit after interest up 30% to £26.6m (2014: £20.5m). The total dividend for the year rises 13% to 12.04p (2014: 10.63p).

More figures: total net rental income is up 15% to £57.7m (March 2014: £50.3m) while the total rent roll climbs 19% to £69.4m (March 2014: £58.3m). Like-for-like occupancy was 92.2% (March 2014: 91.4%).

"Demand from customers," says the company, "for the space and connectivity we provide within our high quality properties remains strong, with our in-house marketing resource reporting both enquiry levels and lettings up year on year."

Greece Potential Payment to the IMF on Friday Puts a Bid in Gold
Greece Potential Payment to the IMF on Friday Puts a Bid in Gold


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