Burberry Shares Jump on Moncler Bid Report

A Burberry logo displayed outside its store on New Bond Street in London, Britain, July 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A Burberry logo displayed outside its store on New Bond Street in London, Britain, July 15, 2024. (Reuters)
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Burberry Shares Jump on Moncler Bid Report

A Burberry logo displayed outside its store on New Bond Street in London, Britain, July 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A Burberry logo displayed outside its store on New Bond Street in London, Britain, July 15, 2024. (Reuters)

Burberry shares rose as much as 8% on Monday after a media report said Italian luxury outerwear maker Moncler was considering a bid for the British luxury retailer.

Moncler, known for its puffer jackets, on Sunday, said it would not comment on "unsubstantiated rumors" of a possible deal between the two luxury brands.

Burberry, which had a market valuation of nearly 3 billion pounds ($3.89 billion) as of the last close, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Monday.

The company's shares, which jumped to 876.6 pence in early trading, pared gains to trade around 3.5% higher by 0732 GMT. The stock has plummeted about 40% so far this year.

Moncler shares, largely flat at 50.8 euros currently, fell as much as 1.5% early in the session.

Burberry, known for dressing the English upper class in its classic camel, red, and black check prints, has lagged behind its peers as it struggles to revive demand for its clothing.

It scrapped its dividend and issued a profit warning in July.

Broadly, luxury groups have struggled with tighter consumer spending in recent quarters, especially in China, with Moncler reporting a 3% drop in third-quarter sales last month.



Boohoo Names Finley as CEO against Frasers Demand to Pick Mike Ashley

FILE PHOTO: A woman poses with a smartphone showing the Boohoo app in front of the Boohoo logo on display in this illustration taken September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A woman poses with a smartphone showing the Boohoo app in front of the Boohoo logo on display in this illustration taken September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Boohoo Names Finley as CEO against Frasers Demand to Pick Mike Ashley

FILE PHOTO: A woman poses with a smartphone showing the Boohoo app in front of the Boohoo logo on display in this illustration taken September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A woman poses with a smartphone showing the Boohoo app in front of the Boohoo logo on display in this illustration taken September 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

British online fashion retailer Boohoo on Friday appointed Dan Finley as its new CEO, effective immediately, in a blow to top investor Frasers which had attempted to appoint its controlling shareholder Mike Ashley to the role.
Boohoo's shares rose 3% on the news of the appointment of Finley, who is currently head of Boohoo's digital department store unit Debenhams and who will replace John Lyttle.
Frasers last week requisitioned a general meeting at Boohoo to appoint British entrepreneur Ashley as CEO. A week prior, Boohoo had said Lyttle would step down and also announced a strategic review that could see it broken up.
Controlled by Ashley, the British sportswear and apparel retailer is Boohoo's biggest shareholder with a stake of about 27%.
Boohoo's board was unanimous in its decision to appoint Finley as CEO, the company's Deputy Chairman Alistair McGeorge said in a statement.
Frasers did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for a comment.
Under Finley's leadership, Debenhams has a gross merchandise value (GMV) annual run rate of about 800 million pounds ($1.03 billion) due to a capital-light and cash generative model, Boohoo said.
Analysts at Jefferies said the GMV was well ahead of the brokerage's estimate earlier this year of about 400 million pounds.
Boohoo, in response to Frasers last week, had said it was willing to discuss board representation but that there needed to be "appropriate governance" to protect its commercial position.
Boohoo had noted that Frasers also owns a 23.6% stake in ASOS, which operates in similar markets to both Boohoo and Frasers.
Frasers also owns stakes in the likes of British luxury brand Mulberry, where a takeover attempt by Frasers failed last month, and British electronics retailer AO World .
It also invested 150 million pounds in Debenhams, which went out of business in 2021 and was bought by Boohoo out of administration.