If only...
Security firm G4S (LSE: GFS) came in for a lot of criticism during the 2012 Olympics, when its operational failures meant British troops had to step in to perform security duties. But a restructuring programme has turned the firm around since then. In 2016 G4S won £2.5bn of new contracts, with revenue rising by 10.6% and profits up by 17.9%. The share price has risen by more than 80% in the last 12 months.
Be glad you didn't
Laura Ashley (LSE: ALY) designs and manufactures home and fashion accessories, which it sells throughits 190 stores and to commercial clients, and licenses to other businesses. Difficult trading conditions, a softening market and increasing costs have taken their toll, and led to a profit warning earlier this year. Like-for-like sales fell by 3.5% in the six months to the end of 2016, and pre-tax profits fell by 29%. Shareholders have not fared well: the shares fell by 57% in the last year.
Subscribe to 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
-
What happens if you can’t pay your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?Millions are due to file their tax return this Friday as the self-assessment deadline closes. Though the nightmare is not over until you pay the taxman what you owe - or face a penalty. But what happens if you can't afford to pay HMRC your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
-
What does Rachel Reeves’s plan for growth mean for UK investors?Rachel Reeves says she is going “further and faster” to kickstart the UK economy, but investors are unlikely to be persuaded
