The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — British online fashion retailer Boohoo said on Wednesday it saw a marked decrease in year-on-year sales growth in the middle of March, impacted by lockdowns due to the coronavirus crisis, though its performance has recovered in recent weeks.
Boohoo, which in line with government guidance has carried on trading through the lockdown, said on Wednesday it had seen improved year-on-year growth in group sales during April.
However, it said that given the uncertainty generated by the pandemic, it could not provide guidance for its new financial year to February 28, 2021, at this stage.
Boohoo, which sells own-brand clothing, shoes, accessories and beauty products targeted at 16 to 40-year-olds, said it had analysed a range of scenarios, factoring in a downturn in demand and the possibility of warehouse closures.
Having stress-tested its liquidity in these scenarios it was comfortable it had sufficient financial headroom, pointing to a largely variable cost base, low cash burn rate and £241 million ($297 million) of net cash.
The crisis overshadowed a stellar 2019-20 year for Boohoo Group revenue soared 44 percent to £1.24 billion, and core earnings (adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) rose 50 percent to £126.5 million.
By James Davey; editor: Estelle Shirbon and Louise Heavens
A small but growing online fashion community is practising a more critical form of consumption, marrying the quiet luxury trend with a desire for value and environmentally responsible products.
With consumers expected to buy less this holiday season, categories poised to outperform the industry include off-price and personal care. But brands can still appeal to shoppers by conveying a sense of value, whether through discounts or a point of differentiation.
More than a handful of brands confirmed reports of chronic late payments that sparked some vendors to halt shipments to the US department store. Owner Hudson’s Bay Company said it raised $340 million to help fund its retail operations.
Growing demand for lookalike products, coupled with a pullback in spending due to inflation, is cutting in to sales of some trendy, big-name products.