Home Retail Group

Infobox_Company
company_name = Home Retail Group plc
company_
company_type = Public (LSE|HOME)
company_slogan =
foundation = 2000
location = Milton Keynes, England, UK
key_people = Oliver Stocken Chairman
Terry Duddy CEO
num_employees = circa 53,000
revenue = £5,984.8 million (2008)
operating_income=£387.1 million (2008)
net_income = £294.6 million (2008)
industry = Retailer
products = Consumer goods
homepage = [http://www.homeretailgroup.com www.homeretailgroup.com]

Home Retail Group plc (LSE|HOME) is a holding company for the UK and Republic of Ireland retailers Argos and Homebase. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index having fallen out of the FTSE 100 Index on 23 June 2008. cite web|url=http://www.ftse.com/Media_Centre/Press_Releases/2008/20080611_Invensys,_Ferrexpo,_Petrofac_&_Drax_Group_to_Join_FTSE_100.doc |title=Invensys, Ferrexpo, Petrofac and Drax Group to Join FTSE 100 |accessdate=2008-06-14 |date=2008-06-11 |format=DOC |publisher=FTSE Group ]

History

The Company was established in 2000 when GUS plc merged its Argos and Reality UK businesses. [http://www.homeretailgroup.com/home/about/history/ Home Retail Group: History] ] It went on to acquire Homebase in 2002 and 33 Index stores in 2005. It was demerged from its parent company, GUS plc, with effect from 10 October 2006. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb6602/is_200609/ai_n26021816 GUS reveals demerger plans] ] Shares in Home Retail Group were traded on the London Stock Exchange as from 11 October 2006. [ [http://www.londonstockexchange.com/en-gb/about/Newsroom/Media+Resources/Welcome+Stories/2006/11102006exchangeisdelightedtowelcomeexperiangrouplimited.htm London Stock Exchange Welcome story] ]

Operations

The Company comprises the following businesses:
* Argos
* Homebase
* Financial services including HOME Financial Services, comprising HOME Card Services (handling store cards such as the Argos Card and Homebase Card), HOME Insurance Services (handling in the store extended warranties and accidental damage insurances) and HOME Card Transactions (handling processing of in-store EFTPOS transactions).
* Argos franchising e.g. in conjunction with Hypercity Retail India in Mumbai

Home Retail Group employs approximately 53,000 people, with over 1,000 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland and serves over 200 million customers a year. [ [http://www.homeretailgroup.com/home/about/ourbusinesses/ Home Retail Group: Our businesses] ]

References