Government efforts to reform business rates have been dealt a major blow this week, after the House of Lords voted to block part of the plans. On Tuesday, the Lords voted to remove key provisions that would have imposed a new surcharge on some properties next April. The extra tax would have been used to…
Academy Sports + Outdoors is expanding its Nike partnership and adding the Jordan brand into 145 stores as well as online. The brand will begin to hit the sales floor at the end of April. But that isn’t the only newness that the retailer is bringing to the mix. The company also debuted the Converse…
Shares of Nike ticked up nearly 3 percent after market close on Thursday as the brand reported a smaller-than-expected drop in third quarter sales. Net income at the Beaverton, Ore.-based company in Q3 was $794 million, down 32 percent from $1.2 billion in the year-ago period. Diluted earnings per share was 54 cents, a decrease…
Designer Brands Inc. has its eyes on product, product and more product. The company is leaning more into athleisure as part of some anticipated changes to its assortment mix. And its eyeing private label as a margin driver for the 2025, as well as a rebuild of the foundation for its Vince Camuto and Lucky…
Shoe Carnival is doubling down on its Shoe Station banner this year as the company looks to capitalize on the chain’s success in fiscal 2024. The retailer is implementing a long-term strategy to “rapidly scale up” Shoe Station, which it acquired in 2021, into a “national footwear and accessories leader.” The company noted that the…
Caleres shares were generally flat on Thursday morning after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings in line with its most recent guidance. The St. Louis-based footwear company said net earnings for the quarter were $4.9 million, or 15 cents a share, compared to net earnings of $55.8 million, or $1.57 a share in Q4 2023. Net…
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to deliver the Spring Forecast next Wednesday when the public will be updated on the current state of the UK’s economy. This comes after painful news from last year’s Autumn Budget, in which National Insurance Contributions (NICs) were increased for employers, leading to predictions of impending workplace redundancies and forcing…
Every UK startup has heard about artificial intelligence (AI) a million times at this point, and most are now considering using it in their own business — if they haven’t already. After all, AI can have some serious benefits for businesses. But if it isn’t implemented adequately, new research suggests it can lead to pretty…
It’s a distinctly 2025 problem. Hopeful graduates, or those looking for more autonomy while at work, are lured in with attractive job descriptions promising lucrative salaries, fast career growth, and the chance to “be your own boss”. However, the reality is far from the dream role for many, as the “amazing opportunity” that was promised…
In 2023, the UK’s Online Safety Act came into force. Introduced by the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, the Act contains a set of rules around online content that many tech startups and small businesses need to comply with. Firms have already had to carry out a risk assessment, to understand how likely it is that…