Marks & Spencer news

Walmart said it plans to open three Sam's Club in Shanghai, Wuhan and Changzhou in early 2015. In China it currently runs 10 Sam's club stores in eight cities. It has also closed three stores in China since March and is expected to close another two by the end of the month. The closures were part of the US retailer's restructuring plan in China revealed last year that 9% of its Chinese stores ...

At the M&S Investor Seminar in Paris this week, the retailer has revealed its international expansion plans to open 250 new stores. Four key growth areas Over the next three years, M&S aims to grow international revenue by 25% and international profits by 40%, achieving this by the four key growth areas below. 1. Grow its presence in existing markets and drive business in its priorit...

Marks & Spencer has confirmed that IT director Darrell Stein and property director Clem Constantine will be leaving the company. Departures reflect role changes An M&S spokeswoman has said that the departures are due to significant changes to the directors' roles. She added that M&S has "a very strong talent pool" that is being recognised internally and externally. The directors who si...

Marks & Spencer has this week opened a new flagship store in the Netherlands and launched its new fashion-led website. Hague flagship opens The three storey 4,800 sq m (51,600 sq ft) store opens on February 20th in The Hague and will offer a comprehensive food and fashion offer. The food offer extends to 2,500 lines and also includes an M&S bakery and in-store cafe and demonstrates M&S's ambit...

As retailers increasingly target this key event, we update on the latest initiatives in-store and online.  Meal deals under the spotlight Valentine's Day presents a great opportunity to showcase meal deals, particularly as retailers aim to differentiate more through the distinctiveness of the private label offer. Waitrose and M&S both pitch their meal deals at £20 for three courses with ...

Marks & Spencer has appointed two new directors to a corporate entity known as Marks & Spencer (Australia) Pty Ltd, sparking rumours of an imminent market entry. Sydney chosen as trial location According to press reports, in December M&S notified the corporate regulator that it was appointing two new directors to an entity of its business that had been dormant for the past seven years and h...

Investment in Christmas ranges and revamped food halls has paid off for M&S and helped compensate for disappointing sales in general merchandise. Key results for Christmas trading period (8 weeks to 24 December 2013) Total food sales: +3.8% (+1.5% LFL) Total UK sales: +2.7% (+1.0% LFL) GM sales: +1.5% (+0.5% LFL) M&S.com sales +24.1% International sales: +8.2% Christma...

As retailers prepare to report on their Christmas trading we round up the release dates for their Christmas trading statements. Wed 8 January - Sainsbury's , Waitrose Thurs 9 January - Tesco , M&S Thurs 16 January - Ocado Mon 20 January - Morrisons Watch out for coverage of each retailer's results on the day on Retail Analysis and our upcoming Christmas results ...

M&S has said that it will need to double the size of its online wine operation in order to make the business profitable. Fast growth business still below scale Currently 10% of M&S's total wine sales are online and while this business is growing at a double digit rate, it is not yet profitable according to Andrew Bird, M&S's head of trading for grocery and drinks, speaking at the inaugural W...

Future Group is negotiating a new acquisition, M&S plans largest overseas expansion and AEON considers new market entry... Future Group negotiating Nilgiris acquisition The Future Group is in negotiations for the acquisition of Nilgiris supermarket chain, the Economic Times reports. Comprising of over 90 supermarkets around Bangalore, Nigiris is majority owned by a private equity firm Act...