Evan Vitale Consulting: PRESS DIGEST-Sunday British Business – Nov 23

Sunday, November 23, 2014

PRESS DIGEST-Sunday British Business – Nov 23 – Reuters

Latest post from Evan Vitale Consulting -

Nov 23 (Reuters) – British newspapers reported the

following business stories on Sunday. Reuters has not

independently verified these media reports and does not vouch

for their accuracy.

The Sunday Times

COCA-COLA LASHES FIFA OVER WORLD CUP CORRUPTION

Cola-Cola has become the first big World Cup sponsor to

attack Fifa over the “disappointing” handling of its botched

corruption investigation. The soft drinks brand’s financial

backing is worth more than 300 million pounds ($470 million) to

world soccer’s embattled governing body.

BANKS TO FLOAT AS OWNER QUITS THE UK

Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks are advancing towards a stock

market listing as their Australian owner prepares to exit

Britain. National Australia Bank is reported to have

appointed Morgan Stanley to lead the float, which could

value the mortgage lenders at more than 2 billion pounds.

BREAK-UP LOOMS FOR FOUR SEASONS CARE HOME EMPIRE

Britain’s biggest care homes operator Four Seasons Health Care

is to be broken up, bringing down the curtain on an acquisition

spree that left it struggling under a mountain of debt. The

company, which was bought by Terra Firma for 825 million

pounds two years ago, looks after 20,000 patients in its 450

care homes and 60 hospitals.

BETFAIR FOUNDER TO TAKE SEAT AT CHALLENGER BANK

The founder of Britain’s biggest independent bookmaker is to

become the chairman of a fast-growing challenger bank. Fred

Done, who started the BetFair chain with his brother

in 1967, is taking the helm at CardOne Banking.

POUNDLAND PAYS OUT AS SUPERMARKETS CUT BACK

Poundland is set to pay a dividend for the first time,

illustrating the rise of discount retailers while the likes of

Tesco and Sainsbury’s have cut returns to

shareholders.

The Sunday Telegraph

TELECOMS GIANTS ROUND ON BT OVER BUSINESS BROADBAND

A row has broken out between telecoms giants, with more than a

dozen companies banding together to criticise BT’s

dominant position in the business broadband market and accuse

the regulator of failing to tackle competition issues. The

coalition of providers to launch their attack this week includes

EE , Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin

Media and Vodafone.

ARTISAN BAKERY DELAYS FLOTATION PLANS

Gail’s Artisan Bakery, the London-based chain of upmarket cake

and pastry shops, has put off plans for a stock market listing

until the new year.

M&S SUPPLIER TO QUIT FROZEN FOODS

Kerry Foods, the maker of ready meals for supermarkets including

Marks & Spencer, is looking to sell its frozen foods

business to focus on its more profitable ingredients division.

BREWER TAKING ON RIVAL WITH BRAZIL DEAL

Brewing giant SABMiller is preparing to go head to head

with Anheuser-Busch InBev in Brazil, the world’s

second-biggest beer market, after agreeing a deal with a local

brewer.

BID SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON ASTRA AND S&N

Two of Britain’s biggest healthcare companies, AstraZeneca

and Smith & Nephew, will be pushed into the

spotlight again this week with the expiry of bidding

restrictions on their former suitors.

After a six-month cooling-off period, U.S. drugmaker Pfizer

will be able to approach AstraZeneca again, while

American orthopaedic company Stryker will also be

allowed to return for Smith & Nephew.

Sunday Express

EAST COAST RAIL PRIVATISATION IMMINENT

The Department for Transport is set to announce the

privatisation of the East Coast Mainline this week, with a joint

bid from Eurostar and Keolis understood to be the frontrunner.

(1 US dollar = 0.6388 British pound)

(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang; Editing by David Goodman)

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