PROFITS SURGE AS BOOHOO SHRUGS OFF CITY SCANDAL
FASHION GIANT IN FACTORIES ROW REPORTS 40% REVENUE RISE
FASHION giant Boohoo says its revenues have leapt by 40 per cent after strong sales during the Covid-19 restrictions, despite being caught up in the Leicester working conditions scandal last year.
The online fashion retailer has revealed group revenues jumped to £660.8 million on the back of strong Christmas and Black Friday sales.
It told investors it now expects to deliver revenue growth of between 36 per cent and 38 per cent for the financial year to February, ahead of previous guidance of 28 per cent to 32 per cent.
Last month company executives told MPs they had cut ties with 64 of their suppliers in Leicester over concerns staff were being underpaid and overworked in poor conditions.
It also said it was making progress with its plans to open its own new factory in Thurmaston Lane, Leicester.
The company expects to deliver an earnings margin of about 10 per cent despite increased costs in the face of the pandemic.
However, Boohoo also warned it expects “higher distribution and administrative costs”, which it hopes to largely mitigate.
As a result of the strong UK growth, the company is set to expand its warehouse capacity with a new site for its Nasty Gal, Karen Millen, Coast, Oasis and Warehouse brands.
It said the site, due to open in April, would create up to 1,000 new jobs.
The update came as the company published its first independent report by Sir Brian Leveson following the company’s supply chain scandal.
Boohoo said it was making “excellent progress” to put in pace recommendations made in Alison Levitt QC’s report on the scandal, which stated the company was aware of the factory failings in Leicester.
Leicester West MP Liz Kendall has previously criticised executives for failing to act on Ms Levitt’s report.
Mahmud Kamani, founder and group executive chairman, said: “I’m pleased to publish Sir Brian Leveson’s first report.
“I’m immensely proud of the speed with which our team has worked to effect change during such a challenging period for the group, and it’s encouraging to see our progress acknowledged in the report.”
John Lyttle, chief executive of Boohoo, said: “I’m delighted with the group’s performance over the peak trading period. Our team worked exceptionally hard in 2020 as we navigated the many challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the successful acquisition and integration of Oasis and Warehouse.
“Growth has been strong across our multi-brand platform and we have continued to grow our market share across all geographies.
“The group is in an excellent position entering 2021, which we expect to be another y ear of progress towards our goal of leading the fashion e-commerce market globally.”