Marks & Spencer Plc. Group structure and financial performance.

The first 200 words of this essay...

MARKS & SPENCER PLC1

In 1985, Britain's best-known retailer was the subject of a gusher of a book: Marks & Spencer: Anatomy of Britain's Most Efficiently Managed Company. Nowadays, any book on the 115-year-old food and clothing chain would need a new title. Comedy of Errors is more like it.

Businessweek - 18.10.99

Introduction

Marks & Spencer Plc (from now on M&S) is an international retailer with 718 locations across 34 countries. The group sells clothing, footwear, gifts, home furnishings and foods under the St. Michael trademark in its chain of 294 stores in the United Kingdom. Approximately half of the group's overseas stores are franchised to local partners. The group also owns the clothing retailer Brooks Brothers and the Kings Super Markets chain in the United States of America. Direct mail helps M&S meet the core objective of providing customers with wider, easier access to their products such as home furnishings, flowers, hampers and wine. The financial services comprise of operations of the groups financial services companies providing account cards, personal loans, unit trust management, life assurance and pensions. Retailing accounted for 96% of fiscal 2000 revenues and financial services, 4%.

The company