Patisserie Valerie: Finance director arrested

Safiya Bashir
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Patisserie Valerie: Finance director arrested
The finance director of Patisserie Valerie (LON: CAKE) has been arrested. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange, the cafe chain said that Chris Marsh had been arrested on Thursday night and been released on bail. The arrest comes after Patisserie Valerie uncovered “significant, and potentially fraudulent, accounting irregularities,” and suspended Marsh. On Wednesday, the bakery chain found gaps in its accounts that had “significantly impacted the company’s cash position and may lead to a material change in its overall financial position”. Shares in the group have been suspended since Wednesday. On Thursday, the group said it would be forced to close down if it did not get an “an immediate injection of capital”. Patisserie Valerie has almost 3,000 members of staff, which may not get paid this week. HMRC has filed a winding-up petition against its main trading subsidiary, Stonebeach, over an unpaid £1.14 million tax bill.

Julie Palmer, from the accounting firm Begbies Traynor, said on Friday that the winding-up petition was issued last month, and Patisserie Valerie has 21 days to deal with the issue.

“”There is a whole sequence of events here where we’re talking about a listed company which until Wednesday was worth over £400 million,” she said.

“It is actually quite staggering that [the winding-up petition] has happened without any notification to the stock market and I believe even the board said they weren’t even aware this had been served on the company.”

The chain was valued at £450 million on the stock exchange before the crisis emerged.

Luke Johnson, the chairman and owner of a 37% stake in the group, said on Wednesday: “We are all deeply concerned about this news and the potential impact on the business. We are determined to understand the full details of what has happened and will communicate these to investors and stakeholders as soon as possible.”

Apple hires 300 engineers from British supplier Dialog

Dina Caruso
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Apple hires 300 engineers from British supplier Dialog
Apple will employ 300 computer chip engineers following a deal with Dialog Semiconductor. The company is paying one of its suppliers, Dialog Semiconductor, $300 million (£227 million) for the engineers. In addition to the acquisition of new engineers, Apple will also gain some of Dialog’s patents and facilities in Reading. The staff involved in the acquisition are based in Swindon, Livorno (Italy), Nabern (Germany) and Neuaubing (Germany). The company’s hardware technologies chief, Johny Srouji, said: “Dialog has deep expertise in chip development and we are thrilled to have this talented group of engineers who have long supported our products now working directly for Apple.”

Apple has also announced that it has pre-paid Dialog in order to secure supplies.

Indeed, the company paid an additional $300 million to its supplier in order to secure products for the next three years. Senior editor at the engineering news site AnandTech commented: “In the industry this kind of move is known as being more vertically integrated,” “It’s something that’s already true of Samsung and its smartphones – for example it also makes its own displays.” “The benefits for Apple having full control at the component level should be lower overheads and therefore reduced costs.” “But a downside could be there’s less fallback if something goes wrong.” The deal with Dialog is set to be completed within the first six months of next year. Moreover, Chief Executive of Dialog, Jalal Bagherli, said that he hoped that the deal would allow Dialog to become less dependent on Apple. “For us to change in any other way would be more painful,” “They wanted to create their own solutions in-house. And we could accelerate that, but in the process monetise some of our intellectual property assets and also find a home for many of our employees in a good company – I think it’s a win-win situation.” At 11:21 GMT-4 today, shares in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) were trading at -0.38%. At 17:07 CEST today, shares in Dialog Semiconductor PLC (ETR:DLG) were trading at +25.67%.

Young people prefer casual employment

Dina Caruso
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Young people prefer casual employment
A survey has revealed that only 23% of young people have a once a week job, such as a Saturday job. This is significantly lower than their parents, of which 43% worked once a week. Financial services provider OneFamily revealed the disparity between generations. Rather than working for a business with set number of contracted hours, teenagers are opting for more relaxed work. This includes occasional shifts in dog walking, cleaning and babysitting. Indeed, 45% of young people are earning money by picking up occasional employment which better suits their schedule. Interestingly, 25% of young people in full-time education have said that weekend roles cease to exist. In addition, it has also become apparent that one in six businesses no longer desire to employ young people. Another reason for the percentage drop between generations is the creation of employment apps and technology. Today, young people can pick up shifts for occasional jobs through services such as HireHand, allowing them to earn cash fast. For example, HireHand is a company that puts young people working in hospitality in contact with outlets seeking last minute assistance. These developments would not have been available to their parents and account for a change in working habits between generations. But, often these jobs are not always the most sociable hours if they are to be completed around a young person’s studies.

4 in ten young people seek employment in order to fund big expenses, like a holiday or an expensive gadget.

Whereas 50% seek to spend their money as they wish. Additionally, some have decided not to work at all because of concerns of being distracted from their education. Out of those who do work, 40% have revealed that working part-time alongside studying has taught them to manage money. Managing director of children’s savings at OneFamily, Steve Ferrari, has said: “We would encourage parents to see the benefits of their children working while studying”. “The lessons that part-time employment can instil, from a good work ethic to earning and budgeting, is invaluable.”

Patisserie Valerie: Cafe chain on the brink of collapse

Safiya Bashir
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Patisserie Valerie: Cafe chain on the brink of collapse
Patisserie Valerie (LON: CAKE) has warned that it is on the brink of collapse. In a statement to investors, the owner of the cafe chain said that it needs “an immediate injection of capital” to continue trading. The statement released on Thursday said that in the past 24 hours it had “undertaken further investigation into the financial status of the company”. The board has found “a material shortfall between the reported financial status and the current financial status of the business”. “Without an immediate injection of capital, the directors are of the view that that is no scope for the business to continue trading in its current form.” The group has said that its “professional advisers are assessing all options available to the business to keep it trading and will update the market in due course”. Shares in Patisserie Valerie were suspended from trading on Wednesday after the discovery of potential fraud. Luke Johnson, the chairman and owner of a 37% stake in the group, said on Wednesday: “We are all deeply concerned about this news and the potential impact on the business. We are determined to understand the full details of what has happened and will communicate these to investors and stakeholders as soon as possible.” After the news, the group’s finance chief of the business, Chris Marsh, was suspended from his role. In the group’s most recent results statement that was released in May, the firm said it had cash reserves of £28.8 million. Patisserie Holdings has said it will update the market in due course.  

WH Smith scales back on high street business, shares fall

Safiya Bashir
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WH Smith scales back on high street business, shares fall
WH Smith is to close six shops following a “detailed review” of the business. Instead of previous plans to revitalise its high street arm, the group “wind down” operations and focus more on travel outlets in airports and railway stations. “We had a good year in High Street despite the well documented challenges of the UK high street. During an encouraging second half, the business traded well and we quickly identified the latest trend in the market, becoming a one-stop-shop for all slime related products,” said the WH Smith chief executive Stephen Clarke. “Despite this good performance, we are not ignoring the broader challenges on the UK high street and, during the second half, we conducted a business review to ensure our High Street business is fit for purpose now and for the future.” “While there is some uncertainty in the economic environment, we are pleased with the start to the new year in both businesses, and will continue to focus on profitable growth, cash generation and new opportunities to profitably invest for the future. We are well positioned for the current year and beyond,” he added. High street losses led to a 3% decrease year-on-year, whilst the group’s revenue increased by 2% overall to £1.26 billion. Group profit before tax jumped 7% from £96 million to £103 million in 2017 whilst total profit fell 4%. Travel now represents 63% of the group’s trading profit and the group hopes to continue investing in this arm. Fidelity Personal Investment associate director, Ed Monk, said: “Among struggling traditional retail names, WH Smith has stood apart.” “Preliminary numbers today confirm again its change of direction from a business driven by large High Street stores to one driven by small outlets in airports and train stations.” “Improving trading hasn’t been reflected in the shares in the past year, which have trended lower since a peak at the turn of the year. Whether shares look cheap or expensive – trading at 19 times earnings ahead of the results – depends on how you view the company. It’s expensive versus the High Street retail sector but is cheaper than other pure travel retailers, which it increasingly sees itself as,” he added. Shares in WH Smith (LON: SMWH) are trading down 11.41% at 1.802,00 (1424GMT).  

Big six energy companies face fall in profits

Safiya Bashir
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Big six energy companies face fall in profits
A new report has found that the UK’s biggest energy firms profits fell by 10% last year. Ofgem has found that growing competition in the market led to a decline in collective profit for the first time in four years. Profits at the big six firms fell from £1 billion to £900 million, thanks to the growth of energy start-ups. The big six (British Gas (LON: CNA), EDF Energy (EPA: EDF), npower, E.On (ETR: EOAN), Scottish Power and SSE (LON: SSE)) will also face a difficult winter as the Government’s controversial cap on standard energy prices will affect around 11 million accounts who will save an average of £75 a year. Greg Clark, the business secretary, said on the price cap: “This government is delivering on its promise to end that injustice and protect households across the country from unjustified price rises.” Gillian Guy, the head of Citizens Advice, said the growth of people approaching new energy suppliers “underlines why it’s so important that Ofgem tightens up its licensing rules”. “We know that some suppliers entering the market aren’t prepared to provide adequate customer service, or aren’t financially robust enough to survive.” “Poor customer service often hits vulnerable customers the hardest. It needs to stop poorly prepared companies from entering the market, and take badly performing suppliers out of the market quicker,” she added. Ofgem has expressed concern about vulnerable people who use energy companies. The watchdog found evidence that switching for the 5 million vulnerable households protected by an existing cap had declined between March 2017 and March 2018. Dermot Nolan, the chief executive of Ofgem, said: “We have witnessed many positive developments in energy over the last year, but the market is still not delivering good outcomes for all, especially the vulnerable.” Claire Perry, the energy and clean growth minister said: “We’re determined to protect vulnerable consumers when it comes to their energy costs.”  

Ethnicity pay gap reporting may become mandatory

Dina Caruso
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Ethnicity pay gap reporting may become mandatory
Following an audit last year, businesses may be forced to publish their ethnicity pay gap. This is as a result of the audit demonstrating large differences in pay and promotion opportunities for ethnic minorities. Theresa May announced the compulsory disclosure of pay: “Every employee deserves the opportunity to progress and fulfil their potential in their chosen field, regardless of which background they are from, but too often ethnic minority employees feel they’re hitting a brick wall when it comes to career progression.” The planned consultation is set to last until January next year, giving businesses the opportunity to express their opinions. Several of the UK’s most well-known companies have already expressed interest. Indeed, KPMG, Saatchi & Saatchi, the NHS and the Civil Service have already signed up. Moreover, public sector companies must disclose their intentions to increase the number of senior roles filled by ethnic minorities.

The mandatory reporting of the ethnicity pay gap aims to promote a diverse workforce.

Theresa May continued: “Our focus is now on making sure the UK’s organisations, boardrooms and senior management teams are truly reflective of the workplaces they manage, and the measures we are taking today will help employers identify the actions needed to create a fairer and more diverse workforce.” In addition to the announcement, the PM also revealed a ‘Race to Work Charter’. It aims to drive the recruitment and career progression of ethnic minorities. In September, we reported that the UK government was set to launch a review into obstacles for women in business. The review aims to explore the barriers female entrepreneurs face. This is due to the fact that only one in five British businesses being female run. As a result, the government set a target to promote women to senior roles of FTSE 350 companies. Indeed, by 2020 women must make up one-third of boards and executive committees. As the future of business remains uncertain amid Brexit, one thing that is certain is the desire to diversify senior working environments. The report of obstacles to female entrepreneurs and the disclosure of the ethnicity pay gap aim to drive employment diversity. Every employee, regardless of their ethnic background or gender, deserves to excel in their career.

Elon Musk: Top controversies of 2018

Safiya Bashir
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Elon Musk: Top controversies of 2018
Elon Musk has had an interesting year and has by no means kept his distance from the headlines. With the help of Twitter, the chief executive of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has sparked controversies that have resulted in lawsuits, fines, stock price dips and most recently, had him resign as chairman. The tech billionaire is erratic, hardworking and outspoken. Has his newsworthy presence over the year been welcome or, as University of Michigan business professor Erik Gordon says, had Musk “gone from looking like the visionary genius to looking like the out-of-control guy who probably is on the borderline of a breakdown.”

Bonehead Analysts

In May of this year during Tesla’s latest earnings call, Musk got bored of analyst questions yet instead of carrying on answering, simply replied: “Boring bonehead questions are not cool. Next. We’re going to go to YouTube. Sorry, these questions are so dry. They’re killing me.” How did investors take Musk’s attitude on the call? Not well. Shares fell 5%.

Short-Sellers

Musk has a turbulent relationship with investors and has made many remarks about short sellers. Most recently, the Tesla chief executive mocked the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), labelling them on Twitter as the “Shortseller Enrichment Commission” and claiming that short selling “should be illegal”. Short sellers hope to gain from a company’s share price falling by “borrowing” shares, selling them on and buying them back in order to return them. If they buy them back at a lower price than what they sold for, they will make a profit. More than a quarter of Tesla’s publicly traded shares are on loan to short sellers, which Musk has expressed frustration over. In 2012, he wrote a revised tweet which suggested that short sellers were “often unreasonably maligned”.

British Diver Tweet

Perhaps his most controversial use of Twitter was Musk’s tweet accusing British diver, Vern Unsworth, of being a paedophile. After Unsworth hit out at Musk’s mini-submarine that he had commissioned to rescue the 12 trapped Thai boys as a PR stunt, Musk wrote on Twitter: “Sorry pedo guy, you really did ask for it.” The tweet was later deleted but Unsworth went onto seek a lawsuit and sue Musk for $75,000 (£57,000) in compensation and an injunction against Musk to stop further allegations.

$420 – “Funding Secured”

On August 7, the Tesla chief executive sent shares up on his tweet suggesting plans to take Tesla private. “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured,” he tweeted. After it was revealed that he did not actually have the “funding secured,” shares plummeted and short-sellers were thought to have lost millions thanks to his comments. It was this tweet, that recently led the SES to carry out an investigation and give Tesla and the chief executive a $20 million fine each, whilst also making Musk resign as chairman.

Joint On Live Web Show

Last but not least, we remember Musk’s questionable decision to smoke marijuana on a live web show, causing shares to fall 6%. He spent two-and-half hours on the streamed podcast and took a puff from the joint. He later added that he “almost never” smoked marijuana, saying, “I don’t find that it is very good for productivity”.      

3 reasons the FTSE 100 is sinking

UK Investor Magazine
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3 reasons the FTSE 100 is sinking
The FTSE 100 is down nearly 500 points in October alone with sharp declines being recorded in the past few days. Many FTSE 100 companies are testing 52-week lows and heading towards key technical supports, while the overall index is set to test the psychological level of 7000. Here are some of the reasons why. US Bond Yields are rising Investors have two options when investing in securities; to invest in the equity of companies or invest in fixed income debt, either in the form of corporate bonds or governments bonds. Listed equities can provide potentially higher capital appreciation returns in the long term but can be extremely volatile in the short term and are considered higher risk than bonds, especially benchmark government issued bonds of the UK, US and Japan. US government debt is seen as the safest asset in the world as you are ineffective lending to the US government. If they weren’t to pay you back there would be a global economic meltdown worse than the 2008 financial crisis. Those lending to the US government today can lock in yields above 3% and this has been slowly rising for some time leading investors to shun risky listed equities in favour of low risk government debt, which now has an attractive yield higher than the average dividend you’d receive for a leading equity index. Why would a fund manager hold Whitbread or Experian near all time highs for a 2-2.5% yield when they can invest in 10-year government bonds and receive 3%? Oil is retreating Oil futures sank on Thursday morning following a rise in US crude inventories. The FTSE 100 is highly weighted towards commodities with constituents such as BP and Shell accounting for a large proportion of the index. The American Petroleum Institute reported a 907k jump in oil inventories suggesting supply was again starting to exceed demand. This hit both Brent and WTI oil prices heavily despite the Hurricane Michael making land fall in Florida. BP and Shell are down 7.2% and 6.3% respectively in October representing a major drag on the wider FTSE 100 index. With Iran oil sanctions largely priced in there aren’t any major geopolitical risks on the horizon to keep the bulls in the game, exacerbating the recent decline. Italy are playing chicken with Brussels The Italian administration is testing the nerve of Brussels with budget plans for a deficit representing 2.4% of GDP. The market have reacted with the selling of Italian bonds se ding the spread between 10 year Italian bonds and benchmark German Bunds to around 300 basis points (3%). Rising bond yields mean the Italian government’s payments will rise putting further pressure on their finances. This has spooked investors in Europe leading to a broad-based selling in European equities, including the FTSE 100.  

Johnston Press puts itself up for sale

Safiya Bashir
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Johnston Press puts itself up for sale
Johnston Press (LON: JPR) has put itself up for sale. The owner of titles including the i newspaper, the Scotsman and the Yorkshire Post has £220 million of borrowing due for repayment in June next year. “Since commencing the strategic review of financing options first announced in March 2017, the company has focused on exploring all options available,” said the group in a statement to shareholders. “In order to assess all strategic options to maximise value to its stakeholders, the board of Johnston Press announces that it has decided to seek offers for the company.” The i newspaper is the group’s most valuable title, which Johnston Press bought in 2016 for £24 million from the Independent and the Evening Standard owner, Evgeny Lebedev. The i newspaper sells about 275,000 copies a day. Instead of selling titles individually, the publishing group hopes to sell the business as a whole entity. Johnston Press owns almost 200 regional newspapers and has seen the value of newspaper titles fall due to a decline in traditional and digital advertising revenues. In May, Ashley Highfield stepped down as the chief executive of Johnston Press. The group is being run by David King, who was previously the chief financial officer. Shares in the group, which has seen a 10% fall in revenue to £93 million in the six months to end-June, have fallen 78% over the past 12 months. Shares closed on Wednesday at 3.2p, valuing the company at £3.4 million pounds.
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