Footasylum: New flagship Oxford Street store helps profit more than double September 18, 2024 Pre-tax profit more than doubled at footwear and sportswear retailer Footasylum during its latest financial year. The Greater Manchester-headquartered company has reported a profit of £6m for the year to 27 January, 2024 , up from the £2.8m it posted for the prior 12 months. During the year Footasylum opened a flagship 20,000 sq ft Oxford Street [...]
Knoops: Drinking chocolate chain eyes £5m boost after more than doubling sales September 17, 2024 Knoops is looking to raise an extra £5m to fuel its continued expansion in the aftermath of its revenue more than doubling during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered drinking chocolate chain has reported a revenue of £9.3m for the year to 31 March, 2024, up from the £4.4m it posted for the prior 12 [...]
Allsaints: Record year for fashion brand despite retail decline September 17, 2024 Fashion brand Allsaints achieved another record year after a boost to its wholesale, franchise and licensing revenue offset a fall in its retail performance. The London-headquartered company has posted a total revenue for the year to 3 February, 2024, of £459.5m, a rise of 0.6 per cent compared to the prior 12 months. Its wholesale, [...]
Boohoo makes major US change in bid to broaden appeal September 11, 2024 Boohoo has announced significant changes to its operations in the US market as it looks to broaden its product offering across the Atlantic. The Manchester-headquartered group will stop supplying US customers from its distribution centre in Pennsylvania, as the company’s management look at ways to drive a more sustainable and profitable business. Orders will instead [...]
Asos slashes £500m debt pile as refinancing deals revealed September 11, 2024 Asos has announced the successful refinancing of the majority of its £500m debt due in 2026, with only just over £70m outstanding. The online fast-fashion retailer, which has struggled with post-pandemic shopping trends, had £500m in convertible bonds due 2026. The London-headquartered company has now exchanged £253m into convertible bonds due in 2028 rather than [...]
Gymshark names bodybuilder Chris Bumstead as new shareholder September 10, 2024 Fitness apparel brand Gymshark has named bodybuilder Chris Bumstead as a new shareholder. The Solihull-headquartered business has not revealed the percentage stake Bumstead now holds. Gymshark was founded by Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan in 2012. In 2020, it was valued at more than £1bn when US private equity firm General Atlantic acquired a 21 [...]
Bargain hunting shoppers hit jeans brand Levi Strauss as it targets the ‘young and cool’ September 6, 2024 Levi Strauss has said bargain hunting shoppers are impacting its UK sales as it bids to target “young and cool” consumers. The Northampton-headquartered UK arm of the jeans brand added that it is starting to expand its retail partnerships in the country as “department stores continue to struggle and lose footprint”. The division made the [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group ups stake in Boohoo after shares slump September 2, 2024 Mike Ashley’s retail empire Frasers Group has further increased its stake in fast fashion giant, Boohoo. The Mansfield-headquartered group now holds 26.1 per cent of the shares in Boohoo, up from 25 per cent, according to a newly-filed document with the London Stock Exchange. Frasers Group, which owns the likes of Sports Direct and House [...]
Hamleys: World’s oldest toy store closes 40 loss-making shops as sales fall August 27, 2024 Toy retailer Hamleys is hoping a new digital strategy will help turn around its falling sales after closing 40 loss-making stores last year. The brand’s holding company has reported a revenue of £51.4m for 2023, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House, down from the £56.6m it posted for 2022. Over the same period, its [...]
Sosandar announces third UK store in Newcastle’s Metrocentre as expansion continues August 20, 2024 Sosandar has announced plans for a third store in the UK as part of its transition to a “multichannel retailer”. The store in Newcastle’s Metrocentre is expected to open in October – in time for the key Christmas trading period. Sosandar opened its first two stores in Chelmsford and Marlow in September. The AIM-listed [...]