Primark Names Lucy Slinger as Finance Chief Ahead of AB Foods Split


A Primark store is pictured in the Bullring shopping center in Birmingham, Britain, November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
A Primark store is pictured in the Bullring shopping center in Birmingham, Britain, November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
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Primark Names Lucy Slinger as Finance Chief Ahead of AB Foods Split


A Primark store is pictured in the Bullring shopping center in Birmingham, Britain, November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
A Primark store is pictured in the Bullring shopping center in Birmingham, Britain, November 4, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

Fashion retailer Primark named Lucy Slinger as its chief financial officer on Thursday, strengthening its leadership team ahead of its split from Associated British Foods.

Slinger joins Primark from IKEA franchisee ⁠Ingka Group, where she ⁠has served as deputy CFO.

Prior to Ingka Group, she spent over two ⁠decades at Shell in a range of senior finance leadership roles.

Slinger's appointment follows that of Eoin Tonge as Primark chief executive and Filip Ekvall as chief commercial officer in March, Reuters reported.

⁠AB ⁠Foods said in April it would spin off Primark from its food businesses, telling investors that it will be better positioned to grow on its own.



Estee Lauder Forecasts Annual Profit Above Estimates on Strong China Demand

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
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Estee Lauder Forecasts Annual Profit Above Estimates on Strong China Demand

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)

Estee ‌Lauder forecast annual profit above Wall Street estimates on Wednesday, betting on sustained spending on premium fragrances and strong performance in key markets such as China, reflecting persistent gains from its CEO's turnaround strategy.

Resilient spending by affluent ‌and younger ‌customers, especially on trendy ‌items, ⁠has helped boost ⁠demand for the cosmetics maker's luxury fragrances and skincare products such as Le Labo and Balmain Beauty.

To sustain that momentum, Estee ⁠has accelerated premium product launches, ‌streamlined ‌supply chain and ramped up investments in ‌innovation and marketing under ‌CEO Stephane de La Faverie's "Beauty Reimagined" strategy.

The Clinique and M.A.C owner, whose merger conversations with Jean ‌Paul Gaultier-owner Puig collapsed in May, expects 2027 adjusted ⁠earnings ⁠per share in the range of $3.10 to $3.35, with its midpoint above analysts' average estimate of $3.18 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company's quarterly sales of $3.63 billion were also ahead of the estimate of $3.54 billion.


Shein Eyes Company Valuation of Around $25 Billion in Hong Kong IPO

FILED - 29 April 2024, Berlin: FILE PHOTO - The Shein logo can be seen on a smartphone. Photo: Monika Skolimowska/dpa
FILED - 29 April 2024, Berlin: FILE PHOTO - The Shein logo can be seen on a smartphone. Photo: Monika Skolimowska/dpa
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Shein Eyes Company Valuation of Around $25 Billion in Hong Kong IPO

FILED - 29 April 2024, Berlin: FILE PHOTO - The Shein logo can be seen on a smartphone. Photo: Monika Skolimowska/dpa
FILED - 29 April 2024, Berlin: FILE PHOTO - The Shein logo can be seen on a smartphone. Photo: Monika Skolimowska/dpa

Online fast-fashion retailer Shein is eyeing a company valuation of around $25 billion in its Hong Kong IPO, said three people with knowledge of the matter, down from nearly $100 billion four years ago due to challenging business conditions.

Singapore-headquartered Shein, known for selling $5 ⁠dresses and $10 jeans to ⁠shoppers in about 160 countries, is aiming to launch its much-awaited initial public offering later this week, Reuters has reported.

One of ⁠the three sources said that the company, which was founded in China in 2012, was looking at a valuation of between $25 billion and $28 billion based on the marketing price band for the offering.

The sources declined to be ⁠named ⁠as they were not authorized to speak to the media ahead of a public announcement of the deal terms. A spokesperson for Shein did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.


Birkenstock Raises Annual Revenue Forecast on Strong Demand

Shares of the German sandal maker were up ‌7% in ‌premarket trading.  (Getty Images)
Shares of the German sandal maker were up ‌7% in ‌premarket trading. (Getty Images)
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Birkenstock Raises Annual Revenue Forecast on Strong Demand

Shares of the German sandal maker were up ‌7% in ‌premarket trading.  (Getty Images)
Shares of the German sandal maker were up ‌7% in ‌premarket trading. (Getty Images)

Birkenstock raised its full-year sales growth forecast on Wednesday, banking on resilient full-price demand for its premium sandals from affluent shoppers.

Shares of the German sandal maker were up ‌7% in ‌premarket trading.

A pullback in ‌US ⁠discretionary spending has ⁠weighed on much of the apparel and footwear sector, but brands such as Birkenstock catering to wealthier consumers have largely held up, benefiting from ⁠strong pricing power and ‌brand loyalty.

While ‌the Middle East conflict continues ‌to create uncertainty in the Gulf ‌region, the impact on the quarter was more contained than initially anticipated, the company said.

It now ‌expects fiscal year 2026 revenue growth of 15% ⁠on ⁠a constant currency basis, compared with its earlier forecast of a 13% to 15% rise.

The company posted third-quarter revenue of 719.5 million euros ($829.08 million), compared with analysts' estimate of 713.4 million euros, according to data compiled by LSEG.