Sports Direct trying to ‘drive Debenhams into administration’ September 2, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct is backing a legal challenge against Debenhams’ restructuring plan to “drive it into administration so that it can pick up its assets on the cheap”, a court was told today. The sports retailer is backing a challenge brought by Combined Property Control Group (CPC), which represents the landlords of six Debenhams [...]
Debenhams lines up Deloitte as retailer takes on legal challenge to restructuring plan September 1, 2019 Debenhams has lined up advisers from professional services giant Deloitte as it prepares to fight a legal challenge to its restructuring plan. Deloitte is on standby in case Debenhams loses the case and fails to secure an appeal, an event that could tip the embattled department store into administration. Read more: Debenhams appoints restructuring expect [...]
New Debenhams CEO has ‘clear plan’ to save department store chain August 8, 2019 Restructuring expert Stefaan Vansteenkiste said he has a “clear plan” to save Debenhams after the retailer confirmed his appointment as its new chief executive today. Vansteenkiste, a director at turnaround specialist Alvarez & Marsal, joined the embattled department store in April this year as chief restructuring officer. Read more: Debenhams chairman to step down Previously [...]
Debenhams chairman to step down as restructuring expert appointed chief exec August 7, 2019 Debenhams chairman Terry Duddy is preparing to step down next month as the beleaguered department store’s owners appoint a restructuring expert as its new chief executive. Retail veteran Duddy, who previously ran Argos and Homebase, will leave chief restructuring officer Stefaan Vansteenkiste in charge of the company, Sky News reported. Read more: Debenhams prepares to [...]
Debenhams prepares to ask lenders for extra £50m lifeline July 18, 2019 Debenhams is preparing to ask lenders for an additional £50m lifeline as it approaches the critical Christmas trading period. The department store, which was taken over by its lenders after it fell into administration three months ago, could require access to additional borrowing facilities as soon as this autumn, Sky News reported. Read more: Debenhams [...]
Debenhams urges Sports Direct to drop legal action over restructuring plan July 8, 2019 Debenhams has urged Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct to drop its lawsuit over the department store chain’s controversial insolvency plan after a key landlord withdrew its legal action. Sports Direct has filed a complaint against the company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which will allow Debenhams to close some 50 stores in a bid to stay afloat. Read [...]
Sports Direct HQ sold to Malaysian pension fund for £120m May 28, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has confirmed the freehold sale of its headquarters to a Malaysian pension fund. The sportswear retailer, which will continue to occupy the building on a 15-year lease, said this morning that it has sold its logistics centre to Kwasa Logix Sportivo for more than £120m in cash. Read more: Debenhams versus [...]
Sports Direct mulls legal challenge over Debenhams rescue plan May 19, 2019 Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct is looking to launch legal action against Debenhams over a controversial rescue deal secured earlier this month. The sportswear group is set to challenge two company voluntary arrangements (CVA) that could lead to the closure of 50 the chain’s 166 stores, with rent cuts expected on dozens more. Read more: Local [...]
Sir Philip Green loses his billionaire status May 12, 2019 Sir Philip Green has lost his billionaire status, rounding off a torrid 12 months for the scandal-hit fashion mogul. For the first time since 2002, Green can no longer count himself a member of the billionaires club after seeing his personal fortune halve over the course of the last year. The Topshop tycoon and his [...]
Short-sellers smell blood at embattled shopping centre firm Intu May 12, 2019 Short-sellers have been stepping up their bets against Intu in recent months, as they look to cash in on the embattled shopping centre owner’s current retail woes. City punters have been circling the FTSE landlord, which recently appointed Matthew Roberts as its new boss, amid downbeat forecasts that the group’s rental income will slide as [...]