Coral ‘well placed’

Betting group Gala Coral, which is merging with Ladbrokes in a £2.3billion deal, said net revenues rose 8.9% in its fourth quarter to September 25. Its retail arm saw a 0.3% rise in retail net revenues, while online sales raced higher as coral.co.uk notched up a 31.7% surge in net revenues. Carl Leaver, chief executive of Gala Coral, said the results leave the business “very well placed ahead of the imminent merger with Ladbrokes”.