M&A
The latest news, updates and analysis on mergers and acquisitions in the UK retail industry. Sign up to the Daily Briefing and let Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
-
Aug- 2019 -2 August
US investment firm acquires Majestic Wine in £100m deal
Majestic Wine has entered into an agreement to sell its commercial and retail business to CF Bacchus Holdings Limited, a vehicle controlled by funds managed by Fortress Investment Group, in a deal worth around £95m. A separate sale of one freehold property previously owned by MWWL to an independent third…
Read More » -
Jul- 2019 -25 July
CMA launches probe of JD Sports’ acquisition of Footasylum
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has begun its inquiry into JD Sports’ acquisition of footwear retailer, Footasylum. Phase 1 of the inquiry, will look to determine if the takeover could result in “a substantial lessening of competition in any market”. The CMA also said it has “reasonable grounds” for…
Read More » -
22 July
Bluegem sells 40% stake in Liberty London
Private equity firm Bluegem has sold its 40% stake in the British brand and flagship department store Liberty London. The deal which is worth £300m was initiated after a secondary recapitalisation led by Glendower Capital, a global secondary private equity manager. Bluegem acquired Liberty back in 2010 when the department…
Read More » -
11 July
Bonmarché to be delisted as second largest shareholder sells up
Fashion retailer Bonmarché is set to become delisted as the company’s second largest shareholder sold its stake, meaning Spectre Holdings now owns more than the 75% required to take the business private. Investment fund Artemis sold its 12% share taking Philip Day’s stake up from 69% to nearly 83%. In…
Read More » -
1 July
Bonmarché shareholder slams company as it sells stake to Day
Investment company Cavendish Asset Management has sold its 10.8% stake in fashion retail Bonmarché to Spectre Holdings, a company owned by retail tycoon Philip Day. The £600,000 deal has now increased the businessman’s stake, increasing his chances of a takeover. The news comes after Day closed his £5.7m bid to…
Read More » -
May- 2019 -10 May
Hamleys sold to India’s richest man
Iconic toy store Hamleys has been sold to Reliance Brands Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries – a conglomerate holding company owned by Mukesh Ambani, the richest man in India and the 13th richest man in the world as of March 2019. C.Banner International sold 100% of its shares in…
Read More » -
Apr- 2019 -25 April
Shareholders approve JD Sports’ £90m Footasylum takeover
JD Sports has announced its £90.1m Footasylum takeover has been given the go-ahead by shareholders, after it was voted through at a meeting on 12 April. Over 78 million Footasylum shareholders voted for the JD Sports deal, which is said to represent around 75% of the retailer’s capital. Following the…
Read More » -
2 April
Bonmarche stores and jobs at risk after Philip Day acquisition
Bonmarche stores and jobs have been put at risk after Edinburgh Woolen Mill owner Philip Day acquired the clothing retailer for £5.7m. Day told the BBC that if his deal was successful, it would see a “store-by-store profitability assessment” in order to close under-performing stores unless it could implement a…
Read More » -
Mar- 2019 -27 March
Boohoo acquires online retailer MissPap
Online fashion retailer Boohoo group, has acquired the brand and intellectual property assets of women’s pureplay fashion brand MissPap for an undisclosed sum. MissPap, which was founded in 2015 in the north west of England and has amassed strong online presence with over 1 million Instagram followers, will join Boohoo’s…
Read More » -
5 March
Sports Direct offers £139m for Findel
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has announced it has made a £139m bid for home shopping company, Findel. In a statement to the London Stock Exchange this morning (5 March), Sports Direct said it intended to purchase the remaining shares in Findel for 161p per share, a 1p reduction on the…
Read More »
