FTSE 100 news / Companies and sectors / Retail / 30 September 2026
Retail: sector news on Wednesday 30 September 2026
Average tone +2.8 (slightly positive) across 7 companies with relevant coverage, from 87 stories.
Company by company
| Company | Tone | Stories | What the coverage was about |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marks & Spencer | +7.8 | 33 | Coverage was dominated by M&S's deal with Sephora to open beauty departments in 100 stores, widely seen as a boost to its beauty offer and appeal to younger shoppers. |
| Tesco | +4.0 | 20 | Coverage was mostly positive, led by Christmas delivery and food range announcements, new product launches and the agri-tech challenge winners. |
| Sainsbury's | +0.3 | 18 | Coverage was mixed. |
| Burberry Group | +3.3 | 8 | Coverage was mostly about Burberry's 170th anniversary campaign, portrait series and Summer 2027 collection, which reads positively for the brand. |
| JD Sports | −1.0 | 5 | Coverage was mixed: JD Sports blamed the cost-of-living crisis for falling sales and profits, while plans for more than 140 shops in Mexico and a Berenberg buy rating offered some support. |
| Kingfisher | −5.5 | 2 | Coverage centred on Kingfisher's chief executive sounding the alarm over a business rates increase on larger stores, which is a worry for the B&Q owner. |
| Next | +10.0 | 1 | Coverage focused on Next's share price trading at EUR 173.18 as its profit guidance rose. |
Strongest stories in the sector
- +10.0 Next stock trades at EUR 173.18 as profit guidance rises
Profit guidance raised, a clear positive for Next's earnings outlook. - +10.0 JD Sports to open more than 140 shops in Mexico as it steps up overseas expansion
Major overseas expansion with over 140 Mexican shops - +10.0 Sephora to open 100 beauty stores within Marks & Spencer stores across the UK
Sephora to open 100 beauty stores in M&S; big positive deal. - +10.0 Britain's M&S joins forces with Sephora to expand beauty offer
Sephora partnership expands beauty offer. - −9.7 JD Sports blames the cost-of-living crisis hitting young people as sales and profits fall
Sales and profits fall, blamed on cost of living - +9.2 M&S links up with Sephora to lure younger shoppers
Sephora tie-up to attract younger shoppers. - +9.2 Marks & Spencer expands beauty offer with new Sephora partnership
Beauty expansion with Sephora partnership. - +9.2 M&S to roll out 100 in-store beauty departments under deal with makeup giant
100 in-store beauty departments under Sephora deal. - +9.2 Marks & Spencer expands beauty push with Sephora UK store and online partnership
Sephora UK store and online partnership. - +9.2 Marks and Spencer expands beauty push with Sephora deal in UK
Beauty push with Sephora deal. - +8.3 JD Sports Fashion (LON:JD) Earns Buy Rating from Berenberg Bank
Berenberg buy rating is a positive analyst view - +8.3 Sephora is moving into Marks & Spencer and beauty fans can't wait
Sephora move into M&S welcomed by beauty fans.