RETAIL

BRANDS ON THE RUN

With conventional methods drying up, retailers now need to look to brand differentiation and overseas expansion to boost revenues.

CHANNEL-HOPPING

With internet sales over the 2006 Christmas period up more than 40 per cent on 2005, according to preliminary figures, it’s clear that the dreams of e-tailing we heard about in the early part of the century are coming true. Only it’s panned out a little differently than expected.

A NEAR DEBT EXPERIENCE

The combination of a credit crisis and continual falls in high-street spending is making debt financing an elusive beast.

BROADENING HORIZONS

Roll-outs have been the strategy of choice for most private equity houses: as a means of creating value, they are hard to beat.

Opportunity shops

There’s no doubt that the retail sector is in for a rough ride in 2008, but certain areas will be insulated from the rash of profit warnings and insolvencies.

COUNTER ATTACK

If there was a big year for private equity in the retail sector, 2004 was it. A handful of private equity houses, primarily in the UK, had steadily been building their retail exposure – a sector that had been considered too risky and reliant on the whims of consumers.

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LATEST ISSUE

Leader

Venture's victory Venture's victory

The European venture capital industry was given a much-needed fillip at the beginning of this month, when two pieces of good news hit the headlines in the UK.

Top Story

Q&A: Mark Wignall Q&A: Mark Wignall

Fresh from a strong 2009, the chief executive of Matrix Private Equity Partners explains why he is a “small is beautiful” man, and contends that the VCT model remains attractive.


Feature

Competitive disadvantage Competitive disadvantage

Some areas of Central and Eastern Europe may have escaped lightly from the economic downturn, but fierce competition for scarce assets could drive up prices in 2010.  


Comment

From Baird to worse From Baird to worse

Much of today’s most important technology was invented by Europeans, but – as with venture – the Americans are best at “monetising” innovation.


News Analysis

Out with the old... Out with the old...

The departure of Atlas may be bad news for European venture, but a variety of smaller operators are lining up to fill the funding gap.




SECTOR REPORTS & SUPPLEMENTS