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Oak Furnitureland cuts losses and eyes showroom expansion

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The Swindon-based furniture retailer posted an operating loss of £4.2m for the year to June 2025, a two-thirds reduction on the previous year

Oak Furniture Land has opened a new showroom in Coventry

Oak Furniture Land has opened a new showroom in Coventry

Oak Furnitureland is planning further showroom expansion following an improvement in its profitability. The Swindon-based retailer is aiming to open a series of new stores throughout 2026, following the successful launch of a new showroom in Coventry this past September.

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It is also planning to refurbish at least half of its existing store estate by the end of June. Despite posting an operating loss of £4.2m for the year ending June 2025, this represents a two-thirds reduction on the previous year.

Over the course of the year, revenue grew by two per cent to £240.5m, with sales growth accelerating to five per cent in the seven months since the firm’s financial year end. The company, which operates 69 showrooms across the UK, said it had continued to gain market share in a broadly flat market.

This was achieved by innovating its range and diversifying into new categories beyond traditional solid wood cabinetry, whilst also making the brand more accessible through the introduction of no-deposit, interest-free credit offers.

Oak Furnitureland chief executive Alex Fisher said: “Customers are increasingly making more considered purchases, opting for durable, long-life products for their homes.”

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He added: “Our objective to take our brand beyond cabinetry and into the whole home, innovate our ranges, and make our offer more accessible to even more customers is now starting to deliver.”

Oak Furnitureland collapsed into administration in 2020 before being rescued by US private equity firm Davidson Kempner Capital Management, as reported by City AM.

The firm was previously the football kit sponsor for football club Burnley.

Oak Furnitureland’s results come after the boss of rival retailer Dunelm warned of continued subdued consumer confidence and said more and more cost-conscious shoppers were looking out for deals and discount prices.

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“Customer confidence has remained low over a prolonged period of time,” said Clo Moriarty.

“What that tells me is that every pound of disposable income is hard-earned by retailers and a lot of thought goes in by customers on how and where to spend it.

“We’re definitely seeing high levels of discounting with customers looking for deals. But in equal measure we can see customers now keen to look at what’s fresh for the season.”

Last week, Dunelm reported a 3.6 per cent sales growth to £926m for the second half of 2025, whilst pre-tax profit slipped 7.5 per cent to £114m.

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Dow Jones Futures Rise; Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia In Focus

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Dow Jones Futures Rise; Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta, Nvidia In Focus

Dow Jones futures rose slightly Sunday night, along with S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures. The stock market continued its choppy action, with the indexes falling slightly to solidly for the week. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 fell below their 50-day lines, dragged down by Apple (AAPL), Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon.com (AMZN), Meta Platforms (META) and, somewhat, Nvidia (NVDA).…

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Devon tungsten and tin mine on track to start production in 2026 after agreements signed

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Hemerdon is located seven miles north-east of Plymouth and is one of the largest tungsten resources in the world

The vast open pit tungsten and tin mine at Hemerdon, Plymouth

The vast open pit tungsten and tin mine at Hemerdon, Plymouth

The company looking to reopen a mine in Devon that holds a rare critical metal has signed two supply agreements which put it on track to start production later this year. London-listed Tungsten West said on Monday (February 16) the contracts covered major additions for its improvement plan at the Hemerdon mine in Plympton.

The company has come to an agreement with Coventry-based Duo Group for the engineering procurement and construction works package for the mine’s new build crushing, screening and ore sorter facility. It has also struck a deal with Australia’s Gekko Systems Pty for the supply of an in-line pressure jigs system and associated infrastructure.

Hemerdon is located seven miles north-east of Plymouth and is one of the largest tungsten resources in the world. Tungsten West acquired the site through a receivership process in 2019 following the collapse of previous operator Wolf Minerals.

The company claims the mine could produce 20 per cent of the global supply of primary tungsten outside of China once operational. Tungsten is used by many manufacturing companies, including in the automotive and defence industries.

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Jeff Court, chief executive of Tungsten West, said: “I am extremely pleased to partner with Duo and Gekko, two well established and highly regarded suppliers, on these important work packages as we reach another critical stage in restarting Hemerdon. These supply agreements will ensure that we have all the major processing additions in place to implement the improvement plan at the MPF.

“I want to extend my gratitude to both of our new supply partners for their support of Tungsten West and the Project, and I look forward to updating the market with further progress as we advance towards our path to production.”

Martin McWilliams, managing director of Duo, said works on site would “commence immediately” and marked “an important step forward” in the delivery of the mine’s new build construction programme.

“We look forward to working collaboratively with the Tungsten West team to support the successful redevelopment of the project,” he said. “We are committed to executing the programme in a disciplined and timely manner to support the company’s operational and environmental objectives.”

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Andrew Edmondston, chief executive of Gekko Systems, added: “Gekko Systems is very excited to be working with Tungsten West on the Hemerdon Project.”

The announcement comes just 10 days after Tungsten West confirmed it had raised more than £40m in a share sale.

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Cooke & Arkwright sponsor young Welsh athlete Jess Mantle

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It is the first athlete sponsorship partnership for the Cardiff-based property advisory firm

Jess Mantle.(Image: insta-STM_Visual)

Cooke & Arkwright, the largest firm of independent commercial property advisors in Wales, has confirmed its first-ever athlete sponsorship. The Cardiff-based firm is sponsoring 19-year-old sprinter Jess Mantle from Barry.

Ms Mantle’ sporting journey began with a focus on football and beach lifeguarding in her hometown of Barry which laid the foundations for her interest in sport. She later began her athletics career with Barry Harriers before joining Cardiff Athletics Club at the age of 14, where she now competes in the 100m sprint.

Alongside her training, she is studying sports science in Cardiff and dedicates her spare time to coaching the next generation of sprinters.

READ MORE: Major employment scheme for Anglesey backed with North Wales Growth Deal fundingREAD MORE: Welsh insurer Admiral expands again with £80m deal

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2025 marked a breakthrough year for the athlete, who is rapidly becoming one of Wales’s most exciting young athletes. She secured a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the European U20 Championships in Helsinki as part of Team GB and claimed bronze in the 60m at the Junior British Indoor Championships.

She also earned the Welsh senior 60m title in Cardiff, won the U20 100m in Swansea, and captured silver in the 100m at the British U20 Championships in Birmingham. Her ninth-place finish in the 100m at the European U20 Championships further cemented her position as one of Wales’s most promising sprint talents.

Ms Mantle said, “I’m really proud to be partnering with Cooke & Arkwright as their sponsored athlete. Having the support of a Welsh company that believes in me means a lot as I push towards the next stage of my career. I’m incredibly grateful for this partnership and look forward to the upcoming championships and sharing my progress along the way.”

Ben Bolton, director at Cooke & Arkwright, said, “Jess represents everything we value as a firm – ambition, resilience and a commitment to supporting future talent in Wales. We are delighted to be supporting her as she builds on her impressive achievements. Her story is inspiring, and her drive both on the track and in her coaching work makes her an exceptional role model. We’re excited to support her journey and look forward to celebrating her continued success.”

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TRIG NAV drops 5.2% on lower power prices, UK offshore wind discount jump

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TRIG NAV drops 5.2% on lower power prices, UK offshore wind discount jump

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Fortis Healthcare maintains strong growth momentum, eyes expansion

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Fortis Healthcare maintains strong growth momentum, eyes expansion
Fortis Healthcare reported steady revenue growth and continues to execute strategic expansions. Fortis Healthcare CFO Vivek Goyal shared key insights on performance, occupancy, and margin improvement.

Goyal said, “Hospital business achieved 19% revenue growth compared to last year, and consolidated growth was 17.5%. We are in the growth phase and expect this momentum to continue.”

Occupancy Set to Improve
Asked about occupancy, currently at 67%, Goyal said, “We acquired new assets and started a mental health business, Adayu. These will take time to ramp up. We expect to reach 70% occupancy in about a year.”Margin Expansion on Track
On EBITDA margins, Goyal noted, “Fortis has been improving margins over the last four years. Brownfield expansions and ramp-up of existing facilities will further improve margins. Some underperforming hospitals, like Escorts and CG Road in Bangalore, are now contributing positively. Manesar facility has breakeven EBITDA and is adding to margins.”

On medium-term margins, he added, “Hospital EBITDA is around 22%, diagnostics 23–24%. We expect hospital margins to reach 24–25%. Diagnostics have shown 8.3% revenue growth, and there is further room for improvement.”
Bangalore Expansion
Regarding the Bangalore plan to expand from 900 to 1,500 beds, Goyal said, “We acquired People Tree hospital and adjacent land. First, we will align the hospital with Fortis standards, then build an onco block. All Bangalore hospitals are doing 20%+ EBITDA margin, and we expect faster growth in this market.”
Revenue Growth Drivers
On top-line growth of 19.4%, he explained, “About 4% comes from acquisitions, another 10% from brownfield expansions, and the rest from ramp-up and high-end care like oncology. Price increases account for only 2–2.5% of growth.”
Future Growth Outlook
Asked about strategic growth, Goyal said, “It’s difficult to give exact guidance, but we expect similar growth going forward. Brownfield expansions will kick in fully next year. Our flagship FMRI hospital’s new block will start contributing to revenue and EBITDA, as it is already operating near 80% occupancy.”

With growth across hospitals and diagnostics, margin improvements, and strategic expansion, Fortis Healthcare appears well-positioned to maintain strong momentum in the coming quarters.

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191K Aroeve air purifiers recalled due to overheating and fire hazards

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191K Aroeve air purifiers recalled due to overheating and fire hazards

More than 191,000 Aroeve air purifiers have been recalled after dozens of overheating incidents and one reported fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The recall affects approximately 191,390 units of Aroeve brand air purifiers, regulators said.

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“The air purifiers can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers,” the CPSC said in a recall notice.

JAGUAR LAND ROVER RECALLING 2,300 ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN US OVER FIRE RISK

Airova air purifiers recalled

More than 191,000 air purifiers were recalled following dozens of reports of overheating and one report of a fire. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Aroeve has received 37 reports of the air purifiers overheating, including one report of a fire, according to the agency. No injuries or property damage have been reported.

The affected products are model MK04 units manufactured before July 2025 with serial numbers beginning with “BN.” The air purifiers were sold in black and white.

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THOUSANDS OF SMOKE DETECTORS RECALLED OVER POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD

Aroeve brand air purifiers were recalled

About 191,390 air purifiers were impacted by the recall. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The units were sold online at Amazon.com, Shopify.com, TEMU.com and TikTok.com from September 2024 through June 2025 for between $80 and $134, the CPSC said.

Aroeve received 37 reports of the air purifiers overheating, including one report of a fire.

Aroeve air purifier

Close-up of Aroeve brand air purifier, Menlo Park, California, November 22, 2025.  (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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No injuries or property damage have been reported thus far.

Consumers are urged to stop using the air purifiers immediately and to contact Airova for a free replacement.

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Premier describes ministers' relationships as 'professional'

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Cook deals with leadership succession question

Premier Roger Cook has been asked who his successor should be and played a straight bat.

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Trump has big plans for Venezuela's oil but are they feasible?

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Trump has big plans for Venezuela's oil but are they feasible?

The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.

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PIZ: Strong Returns, But High Fees And Volatility (NASDAQ:PIZ)

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PIZ: Strong Returns, But High Fees And Volatility (NASDAQ:PIZ)

This article was written by

Fred Piard, PhD. is a quantitative analyst and IT professional with over 30 years of experience working in technology. He is the author of three books and has been investing in data-driven systematic strategies since 2010. Fred runs the investing group Quantitative Risk & Value where he shares a portfolio invested in quality dividend stocks, and companies at the forefront of tech innovation. Fred also supplies market risk indicators, a real estate strategy, a bond strategy, and an income strategy in closed-end funds. Learn more.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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At Close of Business podcast February 16 2026

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At Close of Business podcast February 16 2026

Nadia Budihardjo speaks to Claire Tyrrell about Jacquie Chan’s past decade in Perth’s restaurant business.

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