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Sony Trims Loss Forecast Despite Hack Damage

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 05 Februari 2015 | 00.12

Sony has predicted its annual losses will not be as bad as thought, despite revealing the hacking attack on its film division cost it about $15m (£9.9m).

It is forecasting a loss of $1.4bn (£920m) for the fiscal year ending in March, better than an earlier forecast of $1.95bn.

Sony Corporation said stronger than expected sales of its PlayStation 4 gaming console were boosting its finances.

It also said it was benefiting from solid sales of devices, higher network services revenue and an upturn in its financial services business.

However, continuing decline in its mobile phone business has seen more than a thousand jobs being marked out for closure.

The company has scaled back its operations in China as cheaper handset makers such as Xiaomi gobble up more of the market.

Both Sony's music and movie divisions benefited from a weakening Japanese yen, which improves profit earned in dollars when brought back to Japan.

Results for the October to December period have been delayed after the hacking attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment and are now expected by the end of March.

The cyberattack, which the FBI says originated in North Korea, was in retaliation for The Interview, a Sony film depicting a fictional plot to assassinate Kim Jong-Un.

The Interview has since become Sony's highest-selling online film of all time.


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New Co-Op Chairman To Donate Pay To Charity

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The businessman being lined up as the Co-operative Group's first independent chairman is to donate his six-figure pay package to charitable causes linked to the mutual.

Sky News has learnt that Allan Leighton is expected to declare his intention to give away his salary if he is confirmed in the role as expected in the coming days.

The gesture, which has yet to be formally agreed, would reflect Mr Leighton's commitment to the role, according to insiders.

Another option said to have been raised by board members was to pay Mr Leighton a token annual salary of £1.

Discussions about his appointment are understood to have been held by Co-op board members on Tuesday, with the group keen to finalise his appointment as soon as possible, a source added.

If Mr Leighton does take the role, it would represent a major coup for the UK's biggest mutual as it strives to rebuild its reputation after two years of crisis.

The size of the salary which Mr Leighton would accept on a nominal basis was unclear but is understood to run to six figures.

Sky News revealed on Monday that he was in pole position to take the role, with board members attracted to his track record at running organisations with large numbers of employees and reputation for shaking up troubled institutions.

A former chief executive of Asda, Mr Leighton became a prominent figure during talks over the future of Royal Mail during a stint as its chairman several years ahead of the postal operator's privatisation.

His current roles include the chairmanships of Entertainment One, the media group, the set-top box manufacturer Pace and the retail chain Matalan.

Joining the Co-op would represent an important personal step for Mr Leighton, who has frequently cited his father's career as a Co-op store manager in media interviews during recent years.

During his time at Royal Mail, Mr Leighton advocated transforming the business into a mutually owned organisation, and he is understood to have sought a number of assurances about potential reforms at the Co-op during talks with board members.

The Co-op has been seeking a new chairman to succeed Ursula Lidbetter, who took on the role temporarily last year, for several months.

The group was left reeling in 2013 when it emerged that its banking arm was facing a £1.5bn black hole as it tried to acquire more than 630 branches from Lloyds Banking Group.

The Co-op Bank's chairman, Paul Flowers, was subsequently exposed by a tabloid newspaper as a serial drug-user, plunging the Co-op name deeper into crisis even as it surrendered control of the high street lender to American hedge funds.

Separate independent inquiries led by Lord Myners, the former City Minister, and Sir Christopher Kelly, a former civil servant, concluded that there was a need for an urgent overhaul of the Co-op's governance, board structure and array of commercial activities.

There was further turmoil at the top last year when Euan Sutherland quit as the group's chief executive after details of his pay package were leaked to the media.

Mr Sutherland was replaced by Richard Pennycook, a former director of Wm Morrison, the supermarket chain.

Since then, Co-op members have voted to approve reforms including reducing the number of lay directors on its board and the appointment of a majority of independent directors.

Last year, the Co-op Group - which boasts annual turnover of £11bn from businesses ranging from food retailing to funeral-care - returned to the black following a £2.5bn loss in 2013.

The group's seven million members will have the opportunity to vote this year on whether it should end decades of financial support for the Labour Party.

A Co-op spokeswoman declined to comment on Tuesday.


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Sky Beats Forecasts With Strong UK Growth

The UK's biggest pay-television company underlined continuing growth opportunities in its home market on Wednesday with a strong set of half-year results.

Sky plc, the owner of Sky News, said that adjusted operating profit in the six months to December 31 rose by 16% to £675m, with revenue up 5% to just over £5.6bn.

The performance beat City forecasts, and featured a number of notable achievements, including Sky's highest customer growth in nine years and the addition of 1m product sales, the highest level for four years.

Sky, which has just launched Fortitude, the most expensive drama it has ever produced, also said that new revenue streams such as its Sky Store on-demand service had performed well.

Last year, the company struck separate deals costing around £7bn to acquire control of its namesake operations in Italy and Germany.

It said that growth in Germany had hit a record level with 214,000 new customers and the highest growth in 12 quarters in Italy.

Jeremy Darroch, Sky's chief executive, said the results represented "an excellent operational and financial performance".

"The strength of our performance in the UK and Ireland shows that our approach to segmenting the market with the complementary Sky and NOW TV brands is working," he said.

"Across the board, customers are responding to our investment in more high-quality TV and innovative new services.

"This has resulted in the highest customer growth in nine years, the highest total product growth in four years and the lowest churn in a decade."

Since the end of 2014, Sky has announced a partnership with Telefonica Europe that will allow it to offer mobile voice and data services to customers.

Those services are expected to launch next year.

More immediately, Sky faces a crucial test of its ability to retain its position as the leading broadcaster of live Premier League football.

An auction of seven packages of matches for the three years from 2016-17 is scheduled to get under way on Friday.

BT, the other incumbent rights-holder, and Discovery Communications, which has a controlling stake in Eurosport, are also expected to bid.


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GSK Injects Pace Into Blockbuster HIV Float

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has taken a step towards what would be the industry's largest-ever initial public offering (IPO) with the appointment of banks to assess the future of its HIV medicines subsidiary.

Sky News has learnt that GSK has hired Citi, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as financial advisers on ViiV Healthcare, one of the company's fastest-growing units.

The appointment of the three banks will fuel the prospect of a blockbuster flotation of the division, which analysts believe could be worth at least £17bn.

GSK, which reports its full-year results later on Wednesday, is yet to make a firm decision about its plans for ViiV, although insiders cautioned that a public share sale would be unlikely for about a year.

Citi, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are likely to be in a strong position to handle any future IPO.

If it does come to the market - probably in London - it would be among the most prominent healthcare listings for many years, and would almost certainly be the largest in the sector to date.

ViiV's sales have surged in recent years as HIV treatments have become increasingly widespread, with GSK expected by the City to have reaped £1bn in profit last year from the division.

Although a vaccine or cure for HIV and AIDS remain elusive to medical science, the development of Tivicay, ViiV's daily treatment for the disease, has been a significant step forward in terms of reduced side-effects and increased efficacy.

GSK owns 78% of ViiV, with the remainder held by Pfizer, the US pharmaceuticals group which last year tried to buy British rival AstraZeneca, and Shionogi & Co, a Japanese group.

The performance of ViiV has been a bright spot for GSK during an otherwise troubled period.

The company, which some analysts believe could be a takeover target for Pfizer or another large rival, was caught up in a bribery scandal in China which cost it hundreds of millions of pounds to resolve last year.

Sir Philip Hampton, the chairman of state-backed Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), has just joined GSK's board and will take over as its chairman later this year.

Some investors have expressed disquiet at the company's performance and have called for Sir Christopher Gent, the current chairman, to step down sooner.

GSK declined to comment on the appointment of banks to advise on the future of ViiV.


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Disney Basks In Frozen's Profit-Making Glow

Merchandise sales from Disney blockbuster Frozen helped push the company's income up 19% for the last three months of 2014.

The entertainment giant said net income had grown to $2.18bn (£1.43bn) and that total revenue for the quarter was $13.39bn.

Its parks and resorts also performed well, with revenue boosted by 9% to $3.9bn.

Visitor numbers were strong, said CEO Bob Iger, and had not been affected by a measles outbreak linked last month to California's Disneyland.

Announcing better quarterly results than expected, Disney said Frozen - the highest-grossing animation ever - had driven a 22% jump in  consumer product sales to $1.4bn - despite being released in November 2013.

Revenue from its media networks, such as the Disney Channels, was also strong - up 11% to $5.86bn.

However, the ESPN sport network suffered, with higher rates for NFL American Football games hitting revenue.

Mr Iger said the entertainment giant had high hopes in 2015, after recent releases such as Big Hero 6 failed to match the success of Frozen.

Its live-action Cinderella movie, featuring Cate Blanchett and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is out in March, while the Force looms large in December with the release of the new Star Wars film.

Disney's announcement saw its shares rise 3.9% during after-market trading.


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Cable: Still Not Enough Women On UK Boards

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Vince Cable has warned the "threat of EU mandatory targets" forcing big companies to appoint many more women onto their boards is still a real possibility because the UK has yet to meet its 25% goal.

It comes as the Business Secretary publishes a list of the 10 "most improved" FTSE 100 companies, including household names like HSBC, in a bid to persuade other companies to follow suit.

Topping the list is Old Mutual, which has seen a 38.5% increase since 2010 – although it began with the very low base of no women at all.

Aggeko is second and then Glaxosmithkline, which has risen by 28 percentage points to 35.7%.

Capita is in sixth place, and HSBC is in 10th, although both began from a stronger position than many of their competitors.

Capital had 22.2% of its board as women in 2010, and that had risen to 44% by October 2014. HSBC rose from 16.7% to 37.5%.

Mr Cable said: "Seeing the enormous progress made by these 10 top FTSE 100 companies demonstrates that the UK's voluntary, business-led approach is working. Our target of 25% women on boards by 2015 is in sight.

"However, the threat of EU mandatory targets remains a reality if we do not meet it.

"Businesses must not take their foot off the pedal during the final stretch - if we are to avoid action from Brussels we must continue to demonstrate that our voluntary approach is the right one and is working." 

He said "alarm bells" should be ringing for FTSE chairs not doing their bit for gender diversity.

He announced the figures at an event at Barclays headquarters in London alongside Lord Davies at Abersoch, who has assessed progress in this area for the Government.

He said: "I have never doubted that the UK has plenty of talented senior women, capable and willing to serve on FTSE boards.

"In 2011, British business said they could fix this problem on their own and I am delighted we are now seeing evidence of this, with more women being picked to serve on the boards of Britain's biggest companies.

"However, the job is not yet done."


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Ex-Sainsbury Boss Aims To Be King Of F1 Team

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Justin King, the former chief executive of J Sainsbury, is among a group of investors negotiating a multimillion pound rescue bid for the ailing Formula One (F1) team Marussia.

Sky News can exclusively reveal that Mr King, one of Britain's most high-profile businessmen, is part of a consortium of backers trying to acquire the team out of administration.

Talks about the deal are ongoing, and it is possible that Mr King's bid could falter, a source cautioned.

F1 insiders confirmed, however, that he was playing a leading role in efforts to inject new money into Marussia, which would be likely to be renamed Manor Grand Prix ahead of the 2015 F1 season.

The identity of the other financial investors with whom Mr King is working was unclear on Wednesday, but he is understood to have joined forces with Graeme Lowden, Marussia's chief executive, and the team principal John Booth.

"These are serious, heavyweight individuals," a source said.

"Their plan is to revive a high-quality British racing ethic and brand-name."

If their bid is successful, it would represent the latest prominent project for Mr King, who stepped down as Sainsbury's chief executive last year.

He had previously been linked with the chairmanship of F1's parent company, while his son Jordan is one of the UK's top young racing drivers.

The British Formula Three champion in 2013, Jordan King has just been signed to a leading team for 2015 in the GP2 series, which has provided drivers with an established route into F1 for decades.

One motorsport insider pointed out that if the elder Mr King  played a role in the return of Manor Grand Prix, it would enable him to watch his son race, since  the 11 GP2 weekends all take place as the undercard of F1 races.

On Wednesday, the administrator to Marussia issued a statement updating creditors on the status of negotiations.

Geoff Rowley, joint administrator, and partner at FRP Advisory, said: "It is envisaged that, prior to the commencement of the first race of the 2015 season, investment into the business will be made upon the Company exiting from administration via a Company Voluntary Arrangement, which is planned for 19 February 2015.

"A CVA is a restructuring process agreed with the company's creditors which allows for a turnaround of the business and the creation of a longer term viable solution for the team.

"Given the confidential nature of the negotiations underway we are unable to provide further details."

The success of the consortium's offer will depend partly upon the consent of F1's commercial rights-holder to the reborn Marussia using last year's car in this year's Grands Prix.

The status of Marussia's prize money from last year, which is understood to run into tens of millions of pounds, is also a key factor, according to sources close to the administrators.

2014 was a traumatic year for the team even before its financial troubles caused it to miss the final three races of the season.

Its French driver, Jules Bianchi, was involved in a near-fatal crash in October at the Japanese Grand Prix, from which he has still not recovered.

Mr King declined to comment on his interest in the Marussia rescue talks, while FRP refused to comment on the identity of any new investors.


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Greece's Tsipras 'Optimistic' After EU Talks

Greece's prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has said he is "very optimistic" of finding agreement over easing his country's debt burden after meeting EU chiefs in Brussels.

Mr Tsipras met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as he attempts to renegotiate Greece's €240bn (£180bn) bailout package and ease austerity obligations.

"I'm very optimistic after these discussions that we are in a good way," he said.

"We don't have already an agreement but we are in a good direction to find a viable agreement."

The left-wing government is aiming to end its existing arrangement with the EU, the European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund when its aid deadline expires on 28 February.

Until now, it has avoided those institutions, choosing to go direct to European governments, including meeting UK Chancellor George Osborne on Monday.

Mr Tsipras also held talks with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Parliament President Martin Schulz during his Brussels visit.

He now heads to France to meet French President Francois Hollande.

Commission chief Mr Juncker has said the EU will show flexibility over Greece's obligations but has ruled out major changes to the bail-out terms.

The EU will "adapt a certain number of our policies but we are not going to change everything," he said on the eve of the meeting.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis is also continuing his own push for debt concessions as he jets around the continent.

He met European Central Bank President Mario Draghi in Frankfurt in what he called a "very fruitful discussion".

"I had the opportunity to present to him our government's utter and unwavering determination that it can't possibly be business as usual in Greece," said Mr Varoufakis.

The stringent bailout measures had contributed to "a major humanitarian crisis" in his country, said the finance minister.

Sky News Economics Editor Ed Conway said the meeting was vital as the ECB was effectively providing "life support" for Greece's banking system.

"It is providing emergency liquidity assistance for a number of Greek banks," said Conway.

"If the ECB decided to withdraw that ... it would be disastrous for the Greek economy. It's essential for Greece's finance minister that he keeps that support."

Greece's austerity measures, imposed in exchange for the bailout loans, have seen its economy shrink by a quarter and unemployment rise to over 25%.


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Staples Agrees To Buy Office Depot for $6.3bn

By Sky News US Team

Staples, the top US office supplier, is buying nearest rival Office Depot in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $6.3bn (£4.1bn).

Office Depot shareholders will receive $7.25 in cash and 0.2188 of a share in Staples at closing. The deal values Office Depot at $11 per share.

Staples said on Wednesday that it began talks to buy Office Depot in September. The deal, anticipated amid a Wall Street Journal report, is expected to close by the end of 2015.

Staples has a market capitalisation of approximately $11bn, while Office Depot has a market capitalisation of about $4bn.

Online retailers such as Amazon and superstore chains such as Wal-Mart Stores have eaten into the sales of office supply retailers.

Last month, activist investor Starboard Value LP called for Staples and Office Depot to merge, saying a combined entity would lead to greater cost savings.

Office Depot had combined with OfficeMax in a $1.2bn deal in November 2013.


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IFS: UK Faces Toughest Public Spending Cuts

Government spending cuts set out for after the general election are the toughest out of 32 advanced economies, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Speaking in December's Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne said Whitehall departments faced real-terms cuts of £51.4bn (14.1%) between 2015-19.

That figure is on top of £38.2bn (9.5%) of cuts over the past five years.

In its annual Green Budget report the IFS said the planned "fiscal consolidation" was the largest out of 32 advanced worldwide economies.

IFS director Paul Johnson said UK public finances had a "long way to go" and accused Mr Osborne of failing to deliver on deficit reduction plans.

"He deliberately allowed the forecast deficit to rise as growth undershot in the early years of the Parliament," said Mr Johnson.

"He has not cut spending in real terms as much as planned, as inflation has undershot. And he has cut departmental investment spending by only half as much as he originally planned.

"One result is that he or his successor will still have a lot of fiscal work to do over the course of the next Parliament.

"The public finances have a long way to go before they finally recover from the effects of the financial crisis."

Plans set out by the Chancellor in 2010 implied real-terms cuts of 10.6% to departmental spending by the end of this financial year, but even by the end of next year, savings are not expected to have passed 9.5%.

The IFS's Carl Emmerson said current plans implied spending would hit its lowest level as a share of GDP since at least 1948.

However, in a more positive assessment, the IFS and collaborators Oxford Economic calculated that the cuts could be less harsh if the economy grows as they predict.

They forecast that the oil price slump will mean 3% UK growth in 2015, continuing at a "solid pace" over the longer term.

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said the current plans put public services at risk and called for a "balanced and fair way to get the deficit down".

"Labour will make sensible spending cuts in non-protected areas, but we will also reverse David Cameron's £3bn tax cut for the top 1% of earners," he said.

But Conservative Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom said the reductions to departmental spending would be manageable.

She told the BBC's World At One programme: "What we are seeking to do is sort out our economy via reductions in spending.

"Those reductions to real departmental spending would take us back to levels last seen in 2002/03, when Gordon Brown was in office and Ed Miliband was in government as well - and those were not times of great austerity."


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