Frasers Group has again increased its stake in under-pressure ASOS. The digital fashion giant, which has been at the centre of takeover speculation, has seen acquisition-hungry Frasers Group upping its stake to almost 9.9%, up from 8.8% at midweek and from 7.4% as the week started.
Frasers Group has yet to comment on its increased investment in ASOS but, importantly, it moves closer to holding a 10% stake that would give it the power to block a statutory compulsory share purchase after any takeover offer.
Frasers, which has bought or invested in a host of retailers in recent months and years, remains ASOS’s third biggest shareholder.
The latest stake-building followed a report that Alibaba-backed Turkish e-tailer Trendyol had approached ASOS late last year about a possible £1 billion takeover.
In addition, there’s been speculation that ASOS’s biggest shareholder, Danish tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen, could also consider a buyout offer.
ASOS is in the middle of a turnaround programme led by still-new CEO José Antonio Ramos Calamonte, who took over last summer. The retailer’s last set of trading figures revealed a £291 million loss in the six months to 28 February after sales fell by 8%.
Last month, ASOS also went to the market to raise £80 million via a placing and retail offer and renegotiated a £275 million credit line.
ASOS shares closed Friday down 4.5% at 325.1p while Frasers Group shares were flat at 685.9 pence.
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