Category: Pubs

60 Seconds – Is a Bull Trap emerging in Hospitality?

A deteriorating situation on the ground? Pressures are building within the UK hospitality industry. GNK, RTN, FUL, COM, RIC & TAST have recently warned on profits & analysts have downgraded estimates for MARS, MAB & others. Which is odd as the July Coffer Peach Tracker suggests ‘It’s steady as you go for Britain’s managed pub…

60 Seconds: A Tale of Two Septembers

Out-of-home Leisure: Weather matters Structural trends in out-of-home Leisure have grabbed the headlines recently, resulting in a string of profit warnings. More and more operators are stepping forward to comment on soft summer trading across the industry. This is because of factors including oversupply, commodity inflation, rising labour costs, and extortionate rents. Year-on-year weather variation…

60 Seconds: Tough summer dents pub profits

Tough summer dents pub profits. Greene King says LfL managed sales in the 18wks to 3 Sep fell by 1.2%. Sales in the first 10wks were flat (0% LfL). This implies they fell by more than 2.5% LfL in July & August. September comps are very tough; there will be a relative September shortfall.

Restaurants: The Going Gets Tough…

The current situation: Fulham Shore is the latest in a long list of casual dining casualties, and these are just the ones we hear about. Richoux, Tasty, Comptoir, and Restaurant Group have all issued profit warnings. There are likely more to come. Add to that share price weakness from Marstons, Greene King, Domino’s Pizza, Mitchells…

60 Seconds on Restaurant Group, Marstons, and Greene King

The scene is set… The market responded well to Restaurant Group’s first half trading update last week, with shares up c10% (338p). Confidence is growing in Restaurant Group’s turnaround but its sales trend is negative at a time when its industry is oversupplied and facing cost pressures. Management itself says: ‘like-for-like sales and margins will…