Frock horror

Article Abstract:

Clothing and home furnishings store chain Laura Ashley, once one of the most successful names in the retail industry, looks set to reveal another round of annual losses. The company's market capitalization has fallen from 500 million pounds sterling to 78 million pounds sterling since 1996 and shares have slumped to just 0.26 pounds sterling. Flagging sales and mismanagement have caused the company's demise and a rescue plan is being formulated by new chief executive David Hoare. Despite the pessimism, industry experts believe that Laura Ashley, with 453 retail outlets in the UK and 117 franchises overseas, still has a future.

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Stores, APPAREL AND ACCESSORY STORES, Specialty Chain Stores, Management, Retail industry, Retail trade, Laura Ashley Holdings PLC

---

Price-fixers beware: The government's forthcoming Competition Bill will give the Office of Fair Trading's watchdogs sharper teeth

Article Abstract:

The Competition Bill should receive Royal Assent in the autumn, becoming operational following the transition stage in October 1999. It will enable the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to launch raids on private and company premises and have access to any relevant documents. Companies in dominant market positions in a product category should analyse their exposure, determine which transitional arrangements should be implement, and consider applying for an OFT notification for key agreements.

Laws, regulations and rules, Cartels, Price cutting

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: The fall of Thailand? Thailand's economy may be in a mess, but it is too soon to write off its - or East Asia's - growth prospects
• Abstracts: Word of advice: diversify. Death of traditional accounting will prove to be a boon
• Abstracts: Fruit juices: part 2. Fruit juices and soft drinks in Germany, Part 2
• Abstracts: Merger and product range rivalry. Product differentiation and endogenous disutility. The incentives for takeover in oligopoly
• Abstracts: From cartels to competition. A million English books. Switzerland's heritage at Ballenberg

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.