Can Tesco turn things around?

Although Tesco's revenues look fine, a closer look at their accounts reveals something more worrying. Bengt Saelensminde examines the reports and asks whether the supermarket can turn its fortunes around.

On Wednesday, we took a look at a great shortcut you can use to get to grips with complicated company accounts. I kicked the ball off by looking at Tesco's accounts. And we saw how Tesco shares have been through the wringer of late.

After twenty years of pretty solid performance, the latest set of accounts show a chink in the armour.And many investors are concerned.

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Sales incl. VAT (excl. IFRIC 13)47,35511,61511,3806601,044
Revenue (excl. IFRIC 13)42,79810,8169,8786521,044
Effect of IFRIC 13(550)(35)(39)(2)-
Revenue42,24810,7819,8396501,044
Trading profit/(loss)2,480735525(158)168
Trading margin***5.8%6.8%5.3%(24.2%)16.1%

Bengt graduated from Reading University in 1994 and followed up with a master's degree in business economics.

 

He started stock market investing at the age of 13, and this eventually led to a job in the City of London in 1995. He started on a bond desk at Cantor Fitzgerald and ended up running a desk at stockbroker's Cazenove.

 

Bengt left the City in 2000 to start up his own import and beauty products business which he still runs today.