PRESS DIGEST - British business - March 1

Mail on Sunday

SUPERDRY BOSS IS READY TO SPLASH OUT

Clothing designer Julian Dunkerton is planning to give staff shares in his fashion company Superdry following another successful year for the brand. Sales at the company - which is owned in partnership with designer James Holder from Bench - are expected to double to 73 million pounds for the full year to April with record profits of 15 million pounds. New stores in New York and Los Angeles are anticipated.

PREMIER TO MAKE PLEA FOR 400 MILLION POUNDS

This week, food producer Premier Foods (PFD.L) is expected to finalise plans to raise 400 million pounds of fresh capital from shareholders. The proposal will form part of Premier chief executive Robert Schofield's pledge to put a new capital structure for the company in place by April and to reduce the company's 1.8 billion pounds of debt. Analysts are expecting Premier to announce profits of around 187 million pounds for the year to December 31, compared with 170.8 million a year earlier.

WPP TURNOVER SET TO BE FLAT IN 2009

The marketing services group WPP (WPP.L) is predicted to report better than expected results this week. When he announces the group's annual results on Friday, group chief executive Martin Sorrell is expected to say that revenues this year will be flat -- an improvement on many analysts' predictions which have sales down about five per cent. Group profits of 919 million pounds are predicted for 2008, an increase of 12 per cent on 2007.

Sunday Times

HOSPITAL FIRM EYES SELL-OFF

Nuffield Health is considering the sale of some of its assets -- including Vanguard -- as concerns grow over its debt pile. The most recent public accounts available, filed in 2007, show debts totalling almost 340 million pounds. Vanguard, the firm's mobile operating theatre arm is estimated to be worth 35 million pounds and Vanguard's management is seen as the most likely buyer. Other subsidiaries of the healthcare group include Cannons, the gym chain, although this is less likely to be sold.

EVEN PREMIER INN TAKES A BATH

The Whitbread (WTB.L) leisure group is to report that like-for-like sales at its Premier Inn chain has fallen, after growing 9.5 per cent in the first nine months of the financial year. This is thought to serve as the first sign that the recession has begun to hit budget hotels when it delivers a trading update tomorrow. Some analysts think sales at Britain's biggest hotel group may have slipped by about five per cent, although this is still better than the picture in the wider hotel sector.

ACTIVIST INVESTOR FACES A REBELLION OF HIS OWN

Brian Myerson is to face shareholders in his Principle Capital Investment Trust PCIT.L who are seeking to remove him along with three other board directors, sell the company and return capital to shareholders. South African Myerson, who helped establish shareholder activism in Britain has now become the target of shareholder revolt as the activist group, driven by American hedge fund QVT, is furious about the firm's poor investment track record. The group is also incensed by the fund's decision to purchase 2.2 million pounds of shares in Principle's management company last August, which have since lost 75 per cent of their value.

Sunday Telegraph

THOMSON BIDS FAREWELL TO EQUITABLE