The business and financial performance of J Sainsbury plc over the last three year period - Essay Example

fulness, this paper carried out an empirical study where it compared the firm’s stock prices with those of its rivals as well as its own financial position over a span of three years and actually found that such ground of concern of the financial managers is not baseless and that the firm’s position indeed has been deteriorating over the years. J Sainsbury Plc had historically been one of the leading grocery retail chains in the UK. It was founded by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury in 1869 at Drury Lane, one of the poorest localities in London with just one shop in the beginning, which soon became popular amongst the locals because of the high-quality product they sold at affordable prices.

Their popularity among the people helped them gather the funds needed to expand their business and eventually led them to build a chain of about 800 stores throughout the economy that today includes a chain of more than 500 super-markets and about 300 convenience stores built under the brand name Sainsbury. Although their journey started with just a retail store in a small part of London, very soon they started producing their own brand of products – the first among them was bacon which they started producing in their own smoking ovens in 1882.

Gradually, Sainsbury, what was a mere firm, started producing and supplying a variety of other types of commodities that today amounts to more than 30,000 products comprising of both food and non-food items; and introduced a variety of services like self-help at the counters meant to avoid the rush and thus ease the efforts of their customers. The company also showed benevolence towards its employees when they began publishing regular store magazines for the counselling of their employees. The versatility of the firm soon became prominent when it showed its concern to the society during the world wars when it adopted some innovative measures for its betterment, which proved its consciousness over the issue.

During the world