Money blog: Santander launches £175 switching offer; Burberry suffers massive profits fall | UK News

By James Sillars, business news reporter 

A solid start to the day for the FTSE 100 despite one of its well known constituents posting a big drop in profits.

The index rose by 0.5% in early dealing to stand at 8,469.

Leading the gainers were industrial and mining stocks. 

Among the big names reporting its progress this morning was Burberry.

Its annual results to the end of March showed a 34% fall in operating profits as demand for luxury slowed in the second half.

The company’s chief executive, who is in the process of taking the firm more upmarket, said he expected the current year to remain challenging but with a pick-up in sales weighted to the final six months.

Burberry, nevertheless, awarded a 61p per share dividend which was flat on the previous financial year.

Its shares were down by more than 3%.

Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Burberry’s latest figures leave a lot to be desired, amid slowing demand for luxury… Not only does this highlight the extent of consumer caution across the globe, it also puts a spotlight on some Burberry-specific issues. 

“Refreshing the store estate is all well and good, but only if those costs and charges can be recouped by selling the clothes they hold. While Burberry’s brand repositioning has come a long way, it’s not yet sharp enough to slice through to the core of the even more resilient end of the luxury market.”

She added: “Slowing trends are being seen across the board in the sector, so these weaker results aren’t a total bolt from the blue. The question now will be how quickly demand picks up, and that of course is in the hands of the economy… Burberry faces challenges, but it remains a strong heritage brand, with a lot of the right strategic ideas.”