Lego has overtaken Ferrari as the world’s most powerful brand, according to rankings by the consultancy Brand Finance. Branding expert Robert Haigh told the Telegraph that the success of 'The Lego Movie', along with the fact that the product appeals to both sexes and all ages, contributed to the triumph. Apple retains its title as the most valuable brand in a parallel study.
Green business
Almost two thirds of municipalities have programs to improve energy efficiency in the business community and more than half of them expect these activities to intensify. Municipalities in the Copenhagen area make the biggest efforts. Initiatives include advising on energy use, developing tools and running information campaigns. Businesses typically account for between 30 and 60 percent of municipalities’ CO2 emissions.
Pandora share spike
Pandora’s share price jumped 16 percent following the announcement of its most recent results. Turnover for the fourth quarter of last year was up by 3.961 billion kroner and pre-tax profit came in at 1.444 billion kroner. “Turnover from charms and armbands increased by 25 percent, while turnover from rings increased to over a billion kroner,” CEO Allan Leighton said in a statement.
William Demant buyout
The hearing aid company William Demant has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire the French listed company Audika. The company is discussing buying shares representing 53.9 percent of Audika’s share capital from the majority shareholder Holton SAS for a price of up to 1.2 billion kroner. Audika has 460 shops in France and about a ten percent share of the country’s market.
FCK sponsorship
FC Copenhagen has raked in around 250 million kroner in sponsorship, according to BT. Deals with the club’s four biggest sponsors – with Telia, Carlsberg, Unibet and Jyske Bank – account for some 200 million kroner and the balance comes from smaller financial supporters. Depending on how the team performs in the Danish and European leagues, the number could rise during the remainder of the season.
DONG Energy bid
DONG Energy has submitted a bid to the energy authority Energistyrelsen to build the Horns Rev 3 wind farm in the North Sea. None of the other companies with approval to bid – Sweden's Vattenfall, Germany's Eon and Norway's Statoil – have revealed if they did so before the deadline on Monday. The project is planned to run until 2017.
