Dell’s bell

tolls like HP

Enterprise solutions growth

can't offset decline in PC's

16 May’13
Technology services giant Dell reported a desperate decline in profitability in its Q1’14 period ended 30 Apr’13. Its transformation under founder Michael Dell towards a total tech services provider is being thwarted by its legacy PC business

Read more: Dell Q1'14 Financial Review

Dixons delight 


in mobile mania

Multichannel drive boosted
by competitors’ collapse

16 May’13
Dixons Retail the UK’s #1 electronics retailer (inc. Currys/PCWorld) reported strong results for Q4’13 ended 30 Apr’13

Read more: Dixons Retail Financial Review Q4'13

Walmart growth


decelerates in US

Strong growth in ecommerce &
International; stronger outlook

16 May’13
The world’s #1 retailer, Walmart (inc. Asda in the UK) continued its growth run but at a slower rate, particularly in the US, in Q1’13 ended 30 Apr’13

Read more: Walmart Q1'14 Financial Review

TriMega to clear


Cleary’s desk?


New marketing driven regime


to lead #1 US group agenda

15 May’13 (Complete)

Word on the street for the past few months is that troubled TriMega CEO Charlie Cleary is on his way out. This is a major move that could be a big positive under the leadership of new chairman Ian Wist and his board...

Read more: TriMega to clear Cleary's desk?

Microsoft’s W8

Marmite debate

Software Giant retaliates

vs. FT’s U-turn accusations

14 May’13 (Updated)

Microsoft claims that the Financial Times did not 'accurately represent' content of its conversation with certain national media journalists over its updated Windows 8 software..

Read more: Microsoft's Marmite Windows 8 software

HP offered to ship

Autonomy to SAP

Was this the most expensive
blunder in its corporate history?

14 May’13
The German software giant SAP, has confirmed it was approached by HP, about buying the controversial UK software business, Autonomy.

Read more: HP offered to ship Autonomy to SAP

Sharp shake-up

after shocking loss

Japan’s electronics and ex-

tech giants in serious decline

14 May’13

After posting its biggest in its 100-year history, Sharp Corp. said it plans to replace both its president and chairman after just one year

Read more: Sharp Corp. Financial Review 2012

Brother bucks

print decline…

Gains significant market share
with strong Q4’13 sales finish

13 May’13 (Complete)
Whilst Canon, Lexmark and Xerox confirmed the decline of the printer market, Japanese printer makers Epson (up 2%) and Brother more impressively have gained market share in the SMB space in  its latest financial quarter to 31 Mar'13. We spoke with UK MD Phil Jones

Read more: Brother Financial Review Q4'13

Coffee king Keurig

still losing steam

Doubts growing over GMCR’s

Vue brewer user acceptance

12 May’13

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), the leader in specialty coffee and coffee brewers for US homes and offices, today announced slower Q2’13 sales results to 30 Mar’13. How did the new CEO explain the situation?

Read more: GMCR Q2'13 Financial Review

Panasonic ideas 

becoming lifeless

Canon, Ricoh and Sony join
sinking ships in the sunset

11 May’13
The Japanese juggernaut tech-makers are in trouble. Ex-powerhouses in electronics and printer-makers Canon, Sony, Ricoh and now Panasonic all in continued secular decline

Read more: Panasonic Q4'13 Financial Review

Starbucks/Keurig 
brewing together

Partnership plan to expand
Starbucks via K-Cup systems



11 May’13
Starbucks Coffee, the world's largest coffee retailer, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) the leading specialty coffeemakers, have signed a market expansion agreement

Read more: Starbucks and Keurig brewing together

Promethean

plunge again

Tablet effect kills interactive
education systems edge

10 May’13
Promethean World, the UK based education solutions provider has reported another set of poor results for Q1’13 ended 31 March’13. Can they develop the Activinspire software fast enough to halt its slide?

Read more: Promethean Q1'13 Financial Review

Advertising spend

soars in UK & US

Digital dominates marketing

media as print declines again

10 May’13

Powerful and positive economic news continued to flow. The UK advertising market has bounced back to levels last seen before the 2007 credit crunch and is on course to keep growing strongly this year

Read more: Ad spend soars in UK & US

PCWorld-Currys


mix a mish-mash 


Why doesn’t Dixons bite

the 
bullet and rebrand itself?

10 May’13


PCWorld Boston (UK) opened today as a brand new ‘2-in-1’ Currys & PC World superstore following an extensive refurbishment project.

Read more: PCWorld-Currys mix a mish mash

Spicers splice

with Westcoast

Broadline business supplies
augurs well for 1-source resellers

9 Mar’13
Two of the UK’s leading office supply wholesalers Spicers and technology specialist Westcoast have announced a collaborative alliance. We spoke with Spicers’ chief Alan Ball…

Read more: Spicers splice with Westcoast

Sad Sony’s

sinking share

Imaging products sales

volumes under pressure

9 May’13

Sony Corporation today reported Q4’13 and full year results to 31 Mar’13. Transformation and restructuring efforts are not working yet…

Read more: Sony Financial Review Q4'13

EconomyWatch

Tailwinds not

headwinds, stupid

Are industry observers reading

wrong signs? It’s secular decline,

not economic recession

9 May’13
Paul Ormerod in CITYAM newspaper yesterday opined that Paul Krugman and other leading US economists were wrong in comparing the last recession with the 30’s depression…

Read more: Economic tailwinds not headwinds, stupid

Banner year

builds for o2o

Facilities Show demonstration

of its latest productivity services

9 May’13

office2office’s core company Banner Business Services achieved strong contract gains in 2012 with more in the pipeline for 2013 e.g. RBS. We talked with BBS chief Richard Costin (pic left) about his growth plans....

Read more: Banner year builds for office2office

Staples steers 


3D print drive

Attention! Great services
opportunity for local retailers

8 May’13
As basic copy and print services demand declines for local retailers, so new opportunities in 3D print modeling emerge. As usual, Staples have seized the initiative, but what are the retail buying groups doing about it?

Read more: Staples steers 3D print drive

Plantronics heads

to supersonic sales

Unified Communications (UC) 


and mobile boost sales growth

8 May’13
Plantronics, the global leader in audio communications for business, today reported powerful Q4’13 financial results for the period ended 30 Mar’13

Read more: Plantronics Q4'13 Financial Review