Department Stores
The latest news, updates and analysis on the department stores segment of the the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Apr- 2019 -15 April
Debenhams CEO expected to step down
Debenhams CEO Sergio Bucher is expected to step down in the next few days, after lenders took control of the embattled department store’s chain last week. A source close to Bucher told the BBC: “Having stayed on and got the refinancing in place, Sergio thinks now would be the right…
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10 April
Mike Ashley promises to ‘save’ Debenhams
Mike Ashley has made a promise to “save as many Debenhams stores and jobs” as he can similarly to House of Fraser, following the department store going under the control of its lenders. Sports Direct released a statement after Debenhams was placed into administration saying it was a “national scandal”…
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9 April
Debenhams enters pre-pack administration
Debenhams has entered pre-pack administration and gone into the control of its lenders following the department store’s rejection of Sports Direct’s offer to underwrite £150m equity issuance. The pre-pack administration will see all of the company’s shareholders – including Sports Direct which has a 30% stake – wiped out and…
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8 April
Sports Direct makes Debenhams £150m offer
Sports Direct has made an offer to Debenhams to underwrite £150m equity issuance in Mike Ashley’s latest attempt to take control of the embattled department store. The proposal is subject to the conditions that Ashley is appointed CEO of Sports Direct and Debenhams’ lenders agree to write-off (in aggregate) £148m…
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1 April
Debenhams shareholders back Mike Ashley becoming CEO
Sports Direct has said a number of other shareholders in embattled department store Debenhams have expressed support in Mike Ashley becoming CEO of the company. Ashley’s retail company Sports Direct has an almost 30% stake in Debenhams and as the department store has been seeking funding to help with its…
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Mar- 2019 -29 March
Debenhams advisors should be ‘put in prison’, says Mike Ashley
Mike Ashley has hit out at Debenhams after the department store agreed on a refinancing scheme which could see its shareholders’ stakes wiped out. Debenhams released a statement yesterday (28 March) saying its bondholders were expected to back a £200m restructuring loan. In response, Ashley said “if there were any…
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28 March
Debenhams bondholders to back £200m restructuring loan
Debenhams bondholders are expected to back a £200m restructuring loan, with a statement today claiming a majority had “provided consent to the amendments sought to the existing notes”. The deadline for bondholders to accept the loan is 5pm tonight (28 March). News of a loan will come as a blow…
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26 March
Sports Direct considers cash offer for Debenhams
Sports Direct has revealed it is mulling over a cash offer for embattled department store Debenhams, despite the retailer rejecting its previous proposals. Sports Direct said Debenhams’ current restructuring and refinancing process was “likely to result in an adverse outcome” for its existing shareholders. The sportswear retailer has made several…
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25 March
Sports Direct slams Debenhams for rejecting £100m offer
Sports Direct has criticised Debenhams for rejecting its offer to acquire its Danish company Magasin Du Nord for £100m. On Friday (22 March), the struggling department store announced it had secured a £200m refinancing lifeline, shortly after Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct made the proposal which gave Debenhams the 12 month…
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22 March
Debenhams secures £200m lifeline
Embattled department store Debenhams has confirmed it has secured a £200m refinancing lifeline. The funding is expected to “provide liquidity headroom” for its future funding needs and “deliver stability for its customers, staff, suppliers and pension holders”. Earlier this month, the company said it was considering a £150m cash injection…
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