PRIMARK could be set for its own listing on London’s stock market — with its parent firm touting a spin-off.
Owners Associated British Foods announced a possible restructuring, which could see the fashion favourite separated from its grocery business.
The UK-listed company — which is also behind Kingsmill bread, Twinings tea, and healthy snack Ryvita — is now reviewing the structure of the group.
A separate listing for Primark would deliver a serious boost for the City, which has recently seen a shortage of big flotations as well as a string of large companies moving their primary listings to the US.
AB Foods boss George Weston described it as a “demerger,” and said Wittington Investments — the investment vehicle of the founding Weston family — would retain its 58 per cent stake in the two new businesses.
AB Foods yesterday reported an adjusted pre-tax profit of £1.7billion for the year to September 13, a decline of 13 per cent compared to the year prior.
Sales across Primark grew 1 per cent year-on-year to £9.5billion, with stronger trading in the second half of the year helping to balance out a weaker first half.
Overall retail sales growth was offset by sales in AB Foods’s sugar business dropping by a tenth, bosses said.
Sales were broadly flat year-on-year for both the grocery and the ingredients divisions.
CRUST PERFECT
PRICE rises have helped Domino’s earn more dough despite a drop in pizza orders.
The takeaway chain runs 1,388 stores across the UK and Ireland and reported total sales up 2.1 per cent to £382.7million in the three months to September 29.
But orders slipped 1.5 per cent to 17.1million after prices rose five per cent year on year. Bosses warned “tough operating” conditions are likely to persist into 2026.
XMAS SCAMS WARNING
CHRISTMAS shoppers are being warned to watch for a surge in scams.
TSB said there had already been an 11 per cent rise in the number of purchase frauds reported by customers between January and September.
Victims lost an average of £452. Many scams start on social media, with fake listings for hot or hard-to-find goods such as concert and football tickets, trainers, toys, games consoles and tech.
Stuart Morris, of anti-fraud firm SmartSearch, said: “Always go directly to the retailer’s official site.”
BP: OIL’S WELL
BP is stepping up its overhaul after posting a smaller-than-feared fall in quarterly profits.
The oil giant’s underlying replacement cost profits were £1.68billion from July to September — 6 per cent down on the previous quarter, but better than the £1.54billion projected by analysts.
BP expects £3.05billion in divestment proceeds and £3.81billion of asset sales this year, and a £572million buyback before 2026.
