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IT WAS A year in which big technology companies delivered nosebleed profits, the grocery market got hot and a certain highly unpopular semi-state utility stumbled blinking and disoriented into the spotlight.
Some firms made headlines for the right reasons in 2014 while others seemed to attract nothing but controversy, while many more quietly went about their business making shedloads of cash.
Here is TheJournal.ie’s list of some of the companies that did the best through the year – and those which spend a painful 12 months drowning in red ink. Think we’ve got it wrong? Well, give us your thoughts in the comments section below…
Ryanair
Europe’s busiest airline was, excuse the pun, flying this year, so much so that virtually every financial update from the Swords-based carrier brought another lift in its profit and traffic forecasts for the year. The latest, out this month, put its expected profits in the ballpark of a very tidy €830 million for the year – pushing Ryanair’s total share value over €13 billion for the first time ever. Sure there were the predicable flight mishaps and a few slaps on the wrist from regulators, but with that kind of cash coming in we doubt Michael O’Leary’s losing much sleep
Mark Zuckerberg again proved this year that his social networking site was pretty much a license to print money. Its latest results showed the firm made over $800 million in profit over just 3 months on revenue of $3.2 billion – a very enviable profit margin of 25%. Mobile ads have proved to be the real cash cow, delivering nearly all the company’s profit increases over the past 2 years. While there were the inevitable controversies over the company’s aggressive tax avoidance tactics, not much is rocking the social media giant’s applecart at the moment
Aldi and Lidl
OK, the two German discount grocery chains are clearly not the one company but we’re pairing them together because both have shared similarly good years in Ireland and the UK – two markets once dominated by Tesco (more on that later). They’ve been doing particularly well in the Republic, where both have been posting double-digit growth figures, although they have been accused of making their profits at the expense of squeezed Irish producers
Stripe
Doubling the value of any business in less than 12 months is an impressive feat, but when that business is only 4 years old and it was already worth about $1.75 billion then you would have to be very pleased with yourself. The two, 20-something Collison brothers from Limerick have pulled off that performance this year as their online payments company Stripe hit a valuation of $3.5 billion on its latest fundraising round. At the same time they have strengthened their credentials in keeping ahead of the bigger competition, like PayPal, by toying with a Bitcoin-like crypto-currency
Applegreen
The home-grown fuel chain has been rolling out a rapid-fire expansion plan this year, boosting its Irish outlets nearly 25% and establishing a foothold in the US with its first 2 service stations on the east coast. And despite what it described as a “tough trading environment”, it managed to turn a bigger profit last year in the low-margin fuel trade thanks to its tactic of hooking up with fast-food chains like Burger King and Subway
Penneys
Primark, or Penneys to the Irish shopper, was credited with delivering a “magnificent year” for parent company Associated British Foods as it continued to expand through Europe. It even enlisted Taoiseach Enda Kenny to open its second outlet in Berlin, as well as pushing forward plans to get its first stores rolling in the US. But questions still remain over the labour standards involved in putting together its budget clothing lines as the company paid out $10 million in compensation over the 2013 collapse of a Bangladeshi factory that killed about 1,000 people
Apple
There were doubters who thought the world’s most valuable company would lose its mojo after the death of talismanic founder Steve Jobs. But record sales of its new iPhone and the salivating already being done over its yet-to-be-released Apple Watch have poured cold water on that theory, not to mention its bumper revenues and profits. There’s only the little matter outstanding of Apple’s alleged sweetheart tax deal with Ireland, which could mean the company had to hand over about €160 million in back-taxes
Tesco
Oh Tesco, it has not been a good year. The company’s share price nearly halved over the past 12 months and at one point earlier this December it was trading roughly where it was nearly 15 years ago. That followed a string of profit downgrades and a £263 million accounting debacle which led to its chairman announcing plans to step down and a criminal investigation. Better luck in 2015, folks
Sony
On and off the balance sheet, things are not going well for poor Sony. The one-time technology leader wrote off a massive €1.3 billion this year for all the goodwill it had pencilled in the books for its ailing smartphone lines. It is now expected a net loss in the billions this year after losing about €900 million the year before. Then there were the hacks, blamed on the “hermit kingdom” of North Korea, which resulted in unreleased films being leaked alongside personal documents and other information. Some of the company’s former employees are now suing over that breach
Irish Water
No list of business losers for 2014 would be complete without the controversial quango set up to handle the nation’s water services. Irish Water, itself a subsidiary of another semi-state, Bord Gáis Éireann, now rebranded Ervia, has been under fire for everything including (but probably not limited to) wasteful spending, sky-high staff bonuses, questionable board appointments, poor data security and all-around incompetence. And that pain looks only set to continue with a real risk the quango will punch a hole in the government’s budget as people refuse to sign up for the new, lower regime of charges
Uber
Sure its valuation keeps going up (somewhere in the vicinity of €32 billion at last count), but ride-sharing service Uber has been developing a serious image problem. City administrators have been lining up to ban the controversial service for anything from providing unfair competition to taxis (Brussels), to safety concerns about unregulated drivers (New Delhi). Then there were public-relations fails like its decision to ramp up prices for Australian customers fleeing the Sydney CBD as a siege sent the city into lockdown, or its quickly-withdrawn campaign to hire “incredibly hot chicks” to drive passengers around the city of Lyon
Permanent TSB
The only Irish bank to fail the European Central Bank’s stress tests, Permanent TSB (PTSB) is also a good couple of years off turning a profit – unlike its bailed-out counterparts the Bank of Ireland and AIB. The 99.2% state-owned lender came up €855 million short in the ECB’s worst-case scenario, although its losses have been falling and it has dramatically ramped up its mortgage lending
Eircom
Revenues continue to slide at the former state-owned telecoms company as customers continue to drop fixed-line phone services. But despite rolling out the biggest fibre broadband network in Ireland, the company has struggled to get people to sign on for its high-speed internet – lagging well behind market leader UPC. It also shelved plans for a third attempt at going public, a move which was swiftly followed by its chief executive deciding to return to the US
Samsung
Its still making a profit, but things aren’t looking so health at Apple’s big South Korean rival. The company recorded its worst quarterly return for investors in 3 years as it announced it was slashing its smartphone lines. At the top end of the market, its flagship Galaxy has struggled against Apple’s iPhone, while in the cheap-and-cheerful category it has taken a hammering from budget Chinese brands. That led to its once-dominant market share shrinking from nearly one-third to about a quarter in just a year
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Closed comments on the sulky race story. That’s the journal and pavee point quiet on the issue.
@Andrew H: big mouth John Connors had a lot to say recently. Surely he’ll have some insight?
@Andrew H: but it’s their culture. Their ethnicity allows them to break the laws that the rest of us would be fecked into jail for. When will this stop? When some judges child is injured or worse?? Is that what our judicial system is waiting for??
@Andrew H: Well the guards are investigating – emmm there are numbers plates and cameras on that road any of the cars driving along with people hanging out of them should be at least questioned – that would be a start!
@Goban Saor: As much as I disagree with Connors on many things, he’s fairly vocal in his disdain for the crowd from Pavee Pointless
@Andrew H: They asked for a comment but the participants were sulking.
Anyway it’s racist to ask about the sulky race.
ISPCA shocked and appalled and that’s the last we’ll hear of it! Must be great living with impunity outside the law and completely untouchable, tiz a great country once your not a law abiding citizen!!
Looking forward to seeing Leo and Meholes faces. Refusing to talk to the party who got the most votes isn’t going down well with voters.
@The Risen:
‘Meholes’, I guess that sums up your intellect on the matter.
@The Risen: You consistently let yourself down with that type of language.
@The Risen: I would’ve to see your face in a few weeks when Mehole is made Taoiseach
@iohanx: Its a well earned nickname that has really caught on over the years, a good analogy would be “Fingers” Fingleton
@The Risen: sweet Jesus I hope so as Mehloes idea of change looking more like the last 4years plus the greens
@Manbackonboard:
Lol.. well earned moniker, the smell of desperation off the man even comes across on TV.
Mehole MoreTan , go twitch on that one
@The Risen: you really are clueless.
@The Risen: #bekind
@The Risen: ah Mary Lou a god send !!!. I very much doubt it.
@Paul Furey:
#bekind #DonateaBedtoYourLocalHospital
#CelebrateYour40thatHomecosulivethere
#FFG ETC
#TheGreatCollusion
@The Risen: It’ll go well with those who voted for them, because it’s the FF and FG mandate to not go into government with SF.
But you keep going on with your will of the people shite,
@iohanx: what?????
Oh and absolute disgrace that the comments are closed on the sulky race. They do not deserve any less judgement from your users just because its their culture!
Extremely demoralising to watch the coverage of this and the antics of the Healy Rae’s and that clown from Limerick. They should get in to Dail and get on with the job. The election happened almost 2 weeks ago and there has been no progress on govt formation. This country is a joke !!!
@Neil McAuley: relax Neil. The children’s hospital wasn’t built in a day
@Neil McAuley: relax Neil. Don’t be so doom and gloom. Let them get on with it and keep your moaning out of it!!
@Martin McFly: as its reasonable, I’ll do and say what I want. HOW DARE YOU !!!!!
@Neil McAuley: That “clown” from Limerick is one of the hardest working politicians in the country which is why we elected him. As for the car, he is a member of a vintage car club and thought it would be a nice way to represent them. Lighten up a bit
@Tadhg Keating: how do u know how hard other politicians throughout the country work? I notice the people of Limerick County returned an FF, FG and a former FF politician Pretty uninspiring stuff.
@Neil McAuley: as is their right to? Thats democracy at work
@Neil McAuley: ohh no, the caps are out. Punishment beatings next.
@NotMyIreland: of course it’s their right and democracy. All fair enough. Just said uninspiring and there’s no denying that.
@Martin McFly:
@Neil McAuley: Uninspiring for your views, not those of the people of Limerick I would imagine.
@NotMyIreland: hahaha.
@Neil McAuley: Thankful Richard saw of the Moon landing Denying Sinn Fein candidate in the final Count. That Vintage Car club raises money for Local Charities In Limerick so what harm if he used today to promote it a little, A very worthy cause.
@Neil McAuley: Damn right Neil, there’s only a few combinations that work.
The Oscars are over, the results are in, get back to work ye shower of wasters!
@Neil McAuley: you need to relax and accept that very few think the way you do.
@Paul Furey: am feeling quite relaxed actually thanks. Most people would agree with my sentiments and that’s certainly the case on here, as evidenced by numerous comments that have been posted. cheers.
In other news I’ve just painted the outside of my house. As the weather is so damp it’s going to take hours to dry. Enjoy.
https://youtu.be/PLOPygVcaVE
Thanks.
@Manbackonboard: I’ll raise you
https://youtu.be/kiXY7ynw6ek
@JohnnyMc: Brilliant!!
That reada cronin should be removed from the dail aling with a few others who should not be there. If our country hasnt gone down the pan it will now with sinn fein
@hasnooneasked: ask the voters why they exercised their democratic right and elected them. You know how it works? Right?
@Paul Furey: I’ll tell ya something, those of a non SF persuasion that voted for her in protest at fffg may have decided differently where there 1 or 2 went if these tweets were publicised during the campaign.
You really do seem to have to have an increased level of arrogance and self-belief to be a politician.
What a ridiculous spectacle.
Most people beginning a new job don’t arrive with such nonsensical fanfare.
@Tricia G: I’m praying for another General Election and the people of Limerick need to not vote again for the TD who arrived in the limo.
@Tricia G: You can pray all you want, we will still elect him! We reward Hard working people in Limerick.
Think there is a bug in the Journal “reply” function there Tadgh
@Tricia G:
He has actually been a very effective Councillor with excellent feedback from people in rural Limerick. Hence he was elected to the Dáil.
@Tadhg Keating: like willie odea and his Galway tent merchants?
Is it not all a bit farcical? Get in and make a government and fix the legacy problems that are health and homelessness. American cars and accordions are ya for real?
Complete time wasting exercise. Just turning up to justify their expenses at this stage.
Will ye all stop…Can ye not see the agenda here.The longer this pans out, Leo will get his pension and suddenly voila we will have a government
Beat me to it Andrew H!
#shinnersout
Anyone counting the votes to make sure they’re actually in the chamber
No surprises SOC’s are now labour in disguise – so much for change
What a waste of time! Why don’t they just get on with electing a Taoiseach? None of their speeches make a blind bit of difference to how TDs are going to vote
The business in hand is the election of a Taoiseach. The Social Democrats will not be supporting any candidate because we believe it is meaningless for us to do so in the absence of a negotiated and agreed programme for Government. We are very clear and have said over the past week that this is not a personality or popularity contest. It has to be about the policies that respond to what the public has said to us in the past week. It is about having an agreed policy platform that will lead to a programme for Government.
Unable to post links, but that was taken from the Oireachtas’ Site, which was Deputy Shorthall’s Statement.
@UCC Social Democrats Society: Your party should climb down off of the fence and make a stand one way or another. Just sitting on your hands as you try to figure out which way the wind is blowing and where you might get more cabinet positions is just wrong. Have some principles and stand for something FFS!!
How can each vote take so long?
FF and SF plus Greens vote for Eamon Ryan for Taoiseach and let them form a Government.
FF can say it was formed by the Greens.
Then we can say it’s change
Will ye all stop..can you not see the agenda here..the longer this plays out….Leo will get his pension…and then suddenly we will have a government.
@d: that’s going to be a long time then, Leo doesn’t get his pension till he’s 65.
@Connoroconner: yup but in a couple of weeks he will qualify for the taoiseach pension….courtesy of us
@d: ah ok
Leo the lame Lama
The barbarians never take a city until someone opens the gates for them. In this case it’s people voting for the populists – just look at two of the recent examples of the kind of language coming from these people. Depressing.
The amount of ‘anti shinner’ people on here that reply to comments but won’t have a comment of their is interesting…. Can anybody explain why?
bunch of arseholes
..
…
Gerry now part of sinn fein negotiations team. Definitely glad I didnt vote for sf
have your say