Jan du Plessis, a non-executive director at Marks and Spencer has bought his first stake in the clothes and food retailer since joining the board in November.
He took 20,000 shares at 222p a time, paying £44,400.
The South African, who is the chairman of British American Tobacco, the maker of Dunhill and Lucky Strike cigarettes, joined the board of M&S in 2004. He is also a non-executive director at the mining giant Rio Tinto and Lloyds Banking Group.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
His purchase comes soon after Marks and Spencer reported a sharp drop in like-for-like sales over Christmas and announced 1,230 job cuts.
It was hit by the tough economic conditions that have curbed consumer spending and helped bring about the demise of well-known retail chains including Woolworths, the High Street chain that collapsed late last year.
However, the drop in sales was not as bad as some analysts had feared and the company's shares are up on the month, though they have fallen by about 50% over the past year.
Top Director Buys
Value: £294,150
Value: £61,936
Value: £44,440
Value: £39,429
Value: £17,500
Value: £15,519
Value: £12,410
Value: £12,410
Value: £10,125
Top Director Sells
Value: £1,002,859
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
MoneyWeek is written by a team of experienced and award-winning journalists, plus expert columnists. As well as daily digital news and features, MoneyWeek also publishes a weekly magazine, covering investing and personal finance. From share tips, pensions, gold to practical investment tips - we provide a round-up to help you make money and keep it.
-
Taxpayers urged to fight automated HMRC penalties as 20,000 win on appealHMRC loses more than 60% of cases when taxpayers appeal an automated penalty it has imposed, new figures show.
-
More than five million taxpayers overpay with wrong tax codes – how to check yours is rightHMRC overcharged taxpayers £3.5 billion in income tax the latest data shows, with tax coding errors largely to blame. Accountants say it is “essential” people check their tax codes to avoid being hit with higher bills.
