Following significant restructuring in recent years - moving away from manufacturing and spinning off Bytes Technology - Altron has become a more focused South African technology group. Guided by new management with strategic initiatives aimed at strengthening core businesses, Altron is paving the way for a stronger growth trajectory. We explore these initiatives, focusing on the largest profit contributors that have the potential to transform Altron’s outlook.

Following the opening of its first store in 1955, Dollar General has become the largest discount retailer in the United States by number of stores - now operating more than 20 000 small-box outlets. Its unique proposition at the outset was to sell all products for $1 or less. Today, most of Dollar General’s products sell for less than $10, with approximately 17% still selling for $1 or lower, indicating that the original proposition continues to resonate with customers 70 years on. We discuss the low-cost business model that underpins Dollar General’s low-price offering, recent challenges faced by the business and the path to improved financial performance.

Renowned for its iconic trench coats lined with a distinct checkered pattern, the luxury apparel brand, Burberry, is an unmistakable symbol of British style that has captivated the fashion industry for almost two centuries. We investigate Burberry’s history of innovation, luxury positioning and outlook under new leadership.

The rich history of the Witwatersrand was built on gold mining, which is rapidly declining now that the bulk of its gold has been extracted. This sunset period is burdened by the enormous challenge of dealing with excess underground water. Decades of gold mining in this region have resulted in a complex and costly environmental threat and, as gold mining operations wind down, the outstanding liability remains significant. We outline this issue to conclude that, given how little airtime it receives, the market and the public seems to significantly underestimate the problem.