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Zalando Jumps as Online Fashion Retailer Sees Return to Growth 

Zalando packaging from an online delivery is seen discarded in a cardboard box in Galway, Ireland, August 27, 2020. Picture taken August 27, 2020. (Reuters)
Zalando packaging from an online delivery is seen discarded in a cardboard box in Galway, Ireland, August 27, 2020. Picture taken August 27, 2020. (Reuters)
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Zalando Jumps as Online Fashion Retailer Sees Return to Growth 

Zalando packaging from an online delivery is seen discarded in a cardboard box in Galway, Ireland, August 27, 2020. Picture taken August 27, 2020. (Reuters)
Zalando packaging from an online delivery is seen discarded in a cardboard box in Galway, Ireland, August 27, 2020. Picture taken August 27, 2020. (Reuters)

German online fashion retailer Zalando on Wednesday forecast a return to growth this year and said it was opening up its logistics business to more players, raising hopes of a boost to its performance and helping to lift its shares.

The stock jumped as much as 18.5% after the company also said late Tuesday it would buy back up to 100 million euros ($109 million) of shares, starting from March 13.

Zalando said on Wednesday it expected gross merchandise value (GMV) growth, a key metric measuring the value of all goods sold, of between 0% and 5% this year, after a 1.1% decline to 14.6 billion euros in 2023.

It said it was targeting a compound annual growth rate of 5-10% for GMV and revenue through 2028, as it updated strategies for both its fashion/lifestyle business and its infrastructure business (B2B) ahead of a Capital Markets Day on Wednesday.

In B2B, Zalando is opening up its logistics network, software and services to help the e-commerce transactions of brands and retailers regardless whether they take place on its platform.

By doing so, "Zalando seems to be reckoning that the historical growth story relying on even-increasing online fashion penetration is now close to the glass ceiling," said Bryan, Garnier & Co analyst Clement Genelot.

"In other words, the growth potential has been reduced. Hence the shift towards a logistician business to address the over-capacity issue in its existing fulfilment network."

Zalando also expects revenue growth of 0% to 5% this year, after a 1.9% drop to 10.1 billion euros in 2023.

"The wider range reflects the continued uncertainty we see in the market," finance chief Sandra Dembeck told reporters.

Zalando, a multi-brand platform that sells clothes, shoes, and accessories, is facing weakening demand after a growth boom during the pandemic, as consumers grappling with inflation and high interest rates cut spending and turn to cheaper options offered by fast fashion rivals like China-based Shein.

Its shares were up 15% to 22 euros at 0823 GMT.

The company expects adjusted earnings before interest and tax of 380 million to 450 million euros this year, up from 350 million in 2023.

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Sources: Shein Weighs Sale of Less Than 10% of Company in London IPO

A mannequin with a Shein sign stands in an office of a lingerie maker at WeMet Industrial Park, in Guanyun county of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Florence Lo
A mannequin with a Shein sign stands in an office of a lingerie maker at WeMet Industrial Park, in Guanyun county of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Florence Lo
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Sources: Shein Weighs Sale of Less Than 10% of Company in London IPO

A mannequin with a Shein sign stands in an office of a lingerie maker at WeMet Industrial Park, in Guanyun county of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Florence Lo
A mannequin with a Shein sign stands in an office of a lingerie maker at WeMet Industrial Park, in Guanyun county of Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Florence Lo

Fast fashion retailer Shein is considering asking UK regulators to waive listing rules that require at least 10% of its shares to be sold to the public in its planned London flotation, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
The company is exploring this option to facilitate its IPO, one of the people said, according to Reuters.
If granted, it would likely be the first time that a company in London has been allowed to list below the recent 10% rule.
Singapore-headquartered Shein, which sells $5 tops and $10 dresses mostly made in China, in June filed confidentially with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for a London listing.
However, Britain's financial regulator is taking longer than usual to approve its application, Reuters reported last week.
The people declined to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Shein declined to comment.
Shein was valued at $66 billion in a fundraising round last year. A 10% flotation at that valuation would make the IPO worth $6.6 billion. The biggest European IPO this year was perfume and fashion company Puig's $2.9 billion deal, according to Dealogic.
The current valuation of Shein and how much it is looking to raise via the London listing was not immediately known.
London changed its listing rules in 2021 to boost the attractiveness of the venue for companies. It cut the proportion of shares an issuer is required to float to 10% from 25%, reducing potential barriers for large IPOs, the FCA said at the time.
In July, Britain ushered in the biggest reform of company listing rules in more than three decades to help it compete more effectively with New York and the European Union for new issuers.
Shein began to explore a listing on the London Stock Exchange early this year, Reuters reported in May, citing sources. The China-founded company's original plan to list in New York was derailed after opposition from US lawmakers.
Shein is also waiting for China's securities regulator to approve its plans for a London IPO, Reuters previously reported. Its revenues are expected to hit $50 billion this year, up 55% from 2023, according to Coresight Research.