Greggs is rising higher on a wave of mince pies
Mar 15 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal
The Anglo-Dutch firm has to convince analysts it has the plans in place to turn around years of sliding production, as well as strip costs out of the business.
The pressure on Mr Voser, less than nine months into the job, has increased due to the improvement at rival BP, where Tony Hayward is leading a resurgence after years in the doldrums.
Fashion retailer French Connection is expected to report back on a six- month overhaul of the business when it unveils annual results on Wednesday.
The group, which announced a restructuring in September, has trimmed 50 head office jobs in London, New York and Hong Kong, while it has also pulled out of Northern Europe and Japan. It has suffered in the recession, with sales growth having slowed since a dire first half that saw pre-tax losses more than double to £12.8m from £5.4m a year earlier.
Although Debenhams will have some help from a favourable comparison in early February with the snow that hit the UK a year earlier, retailers with more winter ranges are likely to have fared better during the cold weather.
In January chief executive Rob Templeman said the group increased its profit margins over Christmas by moving away from concessions into own-bought merchandise, and refusing to cut prices.
