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I cant wait JJ, I'm toooooo excited it's nearly Christmas!!! š
FForest its the moment to sit on your hands, show patience and await the trading update in January. This is what wise investors will be doing. I am reasonably confident MKS will continue to do well as the economic climate improves. JJ
UBS raises Marks & Spencer price target to 265 (200) pence - 'neutral'
That makes 3 upgrades in 2 weeks with an average of 2.91, +15%, during our busiest time of year and SP is static, go figure.
In a Bucks store yesterday and it was extremely busy. Maybe unsurprising at this time of year but moreso than I had expected on a very cold day.
245% but what is that in money? It could have been such a low base. Lets hope its a genuinely good performance. These gift cards often get lost so its particularly good as a revenue stream for any retailer. All the best. JJ
Marks & Spencer Records 245% Increase in Annual Gift Card Revenue Through Partnership With Runa
NEWS PROVIDED BY
Runa
30 Nov, 2023, 12:00 GMT
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The partnership helps Marks & Spencer tap into the increasingly digitized global gift card market by offering a frictionless and instant experience for consumers and businesses.
LONDON, Nov. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Runa, the global digital value infrastructure for instant B2C payouts, today announced that its platform has brought a 245% year-on-year increase in gift card revenue volume to its partner Marks & Spencer, the major British multinational retailer renowned for its diverse product offerings.
Marks & Spencer operates more than 950 stores across the United Kingdom and hundreds more in 29 additional countries. M&S sought to grow its gift card sales and increase its share of wallet by distributing gift cards across Runa's vast customer base. By utilizing Runa's infrastructure, M&S bolsters its ability to tap into the global gift cards market, which is expected to become a multi-trillion-dollar volume industry within the next decade.
M&S previously lacked a technology platform to conduct B2B sales at scale and therefore faced challenges in selling and delivering digital gift cards to business buyers. Integrating the Runa platform within M&S systems streamlined the ordering process and transformed it into a smooth and instantaneous experience for businesses. This transformation allowed M&S to unlock B2B sales and gain access to a fresh customer base rather than relying solely on their existing sales channels.
"Since signing up with Runa, we have seen continued growth and really impressive results for our gift card sales," said William Wilford, B2B Customer Success Manager at Marks & Spencer. "We've been able to reach new customers and make it easier than ever for them to order from us."
"Runa empowers businesses and consumers to unlock digital value, and the increasing demand for instant gift card transactions underscores the crucial need for speedy and accessible solutions," said Aron Alexander, CEO and Founder of Runa. "Our partnership with Marks & Spencer, which brought a 245% year-on-year increase in gift card revenue, is a prime example of how innovative technology can enhance the customer experience and ultimately drive sales. Businesses worldwide can follow Marks & Spencer's example and leverage technology platforms as a way to reach new customers and revenue, without increasing work for their teams. The upcoming holiday season, when gift card sales reach their peak, provides an ideal opportunity for merchants to rethink their gift card strategy."
Source:
https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/marks--spencer-records-245-increase-in-annual-gift-card-revenue-through-partnership-with-runa-302001941.html
Barclays raises Marks & Spencer price target to 300 (275) pence - 'overweight'
Https://finance.yahoo.com/news/marks-spencer-group-plcs-lon-073145874.html
So when do we start seeing the move north from investment grade news then?
Https://disclosure.spglobal.com/ratings/en/regulatory/article/-/view/type/HTML/id/3092650
Marks & Spencer's credit rating has been upgraded from "junk" to "investment grade"
Marks & Spencerās credit rating has been upgraded from ājunkā to āinvestment gradeā as the high street stalwartās turnaround propels it back into the ranks of the UKās top-flight companies.
Ratings agency S&P upgraded M&S to BBB-, the bottom rung on its investment grade rating scale, citing its strong sales growth and a Ā£1 billion cut in debt over the past four years.
An investment grade rating will enable M&S, led by chief executive Stuart Machin, to borrow at lower rates of interest and attract a broader pool of debt investors.
S&P cut M&S to junk in March 2020, citing the expected impact of the pandemic on its clothing sales. However, this month, M&S reported interim pre-tax profits of Ā£325.6 million, smashing expectations for profits of Ā£276 million.
Amar Singh, analyst at research firm CreditSights noted that it was rare for a ratings agency to upgrade a companyās rating without first raising its outlook to āpositiveā, underlining the dramatic improvement in M&Sās performance.
M&Sās shares have almost doubled to 248.8p this year, valuing it at Ā£4.9 billion. The retailer was readmitted to the FTSE 100 in August after four years in the FTSE 250.
Moodyās, another ratings agency, upgraded the M&S outlook to āpositiveā, but it retained a junk rating.
GREAT ADDITION AND ADDED VALUE TO M&S.
Nursery brand Mamas & Papas has opened a concession at the Marks & Spencer store at Westwood Cross.
The 1,506 sqft concession is one of five to launch in the country and stocks items including pushchairs, car seats and nursery furniture..
The new Mamas & Papas site also offers a range of in-store services such as one-to-one Buying for Baby personal shopping appointments and car seat consultations with their experts.
The store is open from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 8am-7pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday.
Cheryl Mercer, store manager at Marks & Spencer Westwood Cross, said: āWeāre delighted to have been chosen as the latest store to welcome a bespoke Mamas & Papas shop-in-shop, complementing our baby and kids wear offer.
āFamilies are such a big part of our community and weāre proud to be able to offer them a bigger, better shopping experience. We know how daunting welcoming a new addition can be, and we canāt wait to see customers faces when they visit and find everything they would expect at a Mamas & Papas store, with the added value of shopping at their local M&S.ā
Nathan Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Mamas & Papas, added: āWe are proud to be continuing to grow our partnership with the Marks & Spencer family as a āBrand at M&Sā. With their focus on supporting customers throughout lifeās firsts, the synergy with Mamas & Papas, as we support families through their important milestones along the parenting journey, feels like a perfect match.
āWeāre excited to open our fifth M&S concession in the Westwood Cross store and to support local parents-to-be and their families.ā
Mamas & Papas also has concessions in M&S Bluewater, Longbridge, Cheshire Oaks and Reading
Source:
https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2023/11/25/mamas-papas-concession-opens-at-westwood-cross-marks-spencer-store/?fbclid=IwAR3hLLKny-OctCvlY4KL9GQyX-ZK0YpGUvDdPT1zum9LHIJLQ_UvkQwACjE
I forgot the question I was going to ask, can anyone shed light on the short position, theres been a red dot above for two days but I cant see anything?
I think it's the Brokers playing mind games with their ratings, for twelve months we've seen new targets that we'd already exceeded, I think when we get another over Ā£3 well plummet to 2. š¤«
Come Santa, get in your Austin Allegro the rally needs to start soon.
Autumn statement blues, its anyones guess how the market will react in the next 48hours.JJ
WTF...Back under Ā£2.50.
Look MKS my Seasonal Adjustment Disorder is not being helped with your mood swings!
Take yourself into a corner, shake your head, have a quiet word yourself and have a good night sleep.
I want to see a much better attitude from you in the morning.
The bank's target prices for Asos, B&M and Marks & Spencer are 500p, 660p and 310p, respectively.
My heart did have a little flutter on a skim read as I saw mks and 500p, maybe by end of a year, short term I'll take 310p following 330p and like them guess 327p on a Friday with a 50% chance of sunshine....for now just buy what you can for tomorrow is coming.
From STUART MACHIN
Today we received confirmation that the High Court has recognised the merits of our legal challenge on Marble Arch.
Ā
Every single one of the six counts we raised has been recognised, which means our case has been approved to proceed to the next stage of Judicial Review.
Ā
We have been clear from the very start that refurbishment of the existing store is not possible, so this is only the first step in the lengthy process of overturning the governmentās senseless decision to reject our Marble Arch proposal ā the only retail-led regeneration on Oxford Street.
Ā
With the investment and amazing plans we have to transform the site into a modern, sustainable building, it remains bewildering that we are again having to go through all of this after two years of support and approvals.
Ā
But we will do everything necessary to secure a better future at Marble Arch for our local customers, our colleagues and our community.
An interesting week in store, will the Autumn statement prove to be the end of this Government, or will it excite investors and voters alike. Lets hope the Chancellor gets it right. JJ
Thank you for obliging.
Up 6.7p on the week with a 1p divi thrown in as a bonus and new high set, not bad at all. 4% next week and 265?
Have good weekend all.
Retail sales can be largely explained by the poor weather in October. The oldies are expecting their Ā£500 winter fuel payment now so fully expect sales to go through the roof for M&S. JJ
Retail sales figures for October disappointed @ -0.3%
Can we finish blue?
Sorry, can we finish blue please.