ELF Cosmetics, a US-based online seller of
cosmetics whose USP is its low price points (around £1.50
per item in the UK), has received investment from TSG Consumer
Partners. The private equity firm takes a minority stake in ELF
Cosmetics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Debenhams‘ direct division continues to grow
apace with sales up 88.5 percent during the 19 weeks to 8th
January. Group like-for-like sales during the period however,
were down 1.3 percent excluding VAT.
The
Financial Times reports that department-store chain
House of Fraser is due to announce “record
earnings in 2011 following a bumper Christmas trading
period”. Despite the snowy weather, House of Fraser
delivered an 8.5 percent rise in like-for-like sales, and a 120
percent year-on-year increase in online sales during the festive
season.
Online grocer Ocado saw gross sales increase
26.7 percent to £50.9 million in the four weeks to 26th
December, compared with the same period last year. Gross sales
for the full year were up 29 percent to £551.1 million.
Ocado shrugged off the effects of the snow, delivering more than
98 percent of customer orders during the festive period.
Figures released by the BRC and KPMG are expected to show that
retail sales in December were only one percent lower than the
previous year. This, writes the
Guardian, casts doubts over whether retailers can really
attribute their poor performance over Christmas to the adverse
weather conditions.
Asda‘s former chief executive Andy Bond has
joined apparel retailer Republic as executive
chairman. In June 2010, Republic was bought by private equity
group TPG for £300 million. This year, the business is
planning an investment programme that will see it increase the
number of stores it operates from 250 to 300 and grow online
sales.
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