Hugo Boss Cuts Full Year Sales Guidance over Weaker Demand in China, UK

FILE PHOTO: Mens clothing are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Mens clothing are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
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Hugo Boss Cuts Full Year Sales Guidance over Weaker Demand in China, UK

FILE PHOTO: Mens clothing are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Mens clothing are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo

German fashion house Hugo Boss on Monday cut its sales guidance for the year to a range of between 4.20 billion euros ($4.58 billion) to 4.35 billion euros over weakening global consumer demand especially in markets like China and the UK.
The company earlier expected sales for the year at around 4.30 billion to 4.45 billion euros.
Hugo Boss said that it expects operating profit (EBIT) to be around 350 million euros to 430 million euros, down from its previously communicated guidance of around 430 million euros to 475 million euros.
This is the second time this year that Hugo Boss has cut its sales guidance.
The company had previously also flagged in its first quarter results weaker demand in China and concerns about the US consumer sentiment ahead of presidential elections, causing shares to slump to their lowest since 2022.
The German fashion house also said that its preliminary second-quarter sales declined by 1% to 1.02 billion euros. Its operating profit (EBIT) in the period amounted to 70 million euros on a preliminary basis.
The premium apparel brand has been on an expansion mission, and has been increasing marketing spend and opening 102 new points of sale in 2023, but its shares have fallen this year as it warned of slower sales growth.
World's biggest watchmaker Swatch reported a steep drop in first half sales and earnings earlier on Monday as demand for luxury goods in China remained weak, Burberry also issued a profit warning and scrapped its dividend payment for the year as well.



Shein Reportedly Keeps Option to List in Hong Kong as Backup

This photo taken on June 11, 2024 shows employees walking through the lobby of the fast fashion e-commerce company Shein outside its office in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
This photo taken on June 11, 2024 shows employees walking through the lobby of the fast fashion e-commerce company Shein outside its office in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
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Shein Reportedly Keeps Option to List in Hong Kong as Backup

This photo taken on June 11, 2024 shows employees walking through the lobby of the fast fashion e-commerce company Shein outside its office in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
This photo taken on June 11, 2024 shows employees walking through the lobby of the fast fashion e-commerce company Shein outside its office in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong province. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)

Online fast-fashion group Shein is keeping alive a fallback option to list in Hong Kong despite filing for a London listing, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the situation.
The company confidentially filed papers with Britain's markets regulator in June, two sources told Reuters on Monday, kicking off the process for a potential London listing later this year.
The news has triggered strong opposition from human rights groups in the UK over concerns about Shein's labor practices. Amnesty International UK said the potential London initial public offering would be a "badge of shame" for the LSE.
Shein's plans remain in flux and there is no certainty that it will end up listing in London even if that is the company's current focus, the FT report said.
The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Shein, which was valued at $66 billion in a fundraising round last year, began to explore a listing on the London Stock Exchange early this year, Reuters reported in May, citing sources. Its original plan to list in New York came unstuck following opposition from US lawmakers.
Some senior British lawmakers have also questioned Shein's suitability and called for greater scrutiny of its labor practices, supply chain and use of an import tax exemption.