Mothercare Regulatory News (MTC)

20 Aug 2020 07:00

Mothercare plc: Transformation Plan Update

Mothercare plc ("Mothercare", "the Company" or "the Group") today provides the following update

Franchise arrangements

In recent months we have been in close discussion with both our international franchise and manufacturing partners to modernise and improve our commercial relationships to mutual benefit, with the objective of improving pricing and quality for our franchise partners and reducing financial and operational risk for our manufacturing partners. We are pleased to report that following these constructive discussions we have successfully launched a more sustainable and less capital-intensive business model going forward, with effect from the Autumn/Winter 2020 season. This new model results in our franchise partners contracting to pay for products directly to our manufacturing partners, thus removing the timing mismatch we were experiencing with the reduction in our payment terms and so improving the Group’s working capital requirements. We believe this new way of working will ultimately have the added benefits of improving pricing for franchise partners, which in turn should better incentivise retail sales growth and assist our manufacturing partners in reinstating credit insurance for future seasons.

UK franchise

On 19 August we completed the detailed contractual arrangements for the appointment of Boots UK Limited ("Boots") as our UK and Republic of Ireland franchise partner. This will be for an initial period of ten years and the terms and royalty rates arrangements are commensurate with those of the Company’s other franchise agreements.

Mothercare branded clothing will be available in a large number of Boots stores across the UK and Ireland from this autumn with home and travel products (including pushchairs and car seats) available in larger Boots stores, as well as online at www.boots.com. 

Boots is at the heart of one of the largest healthcare businesses in the world and Mothercare will dovetail well as the specialist brand for parents and young children in both Boots stores and online.

Alshaya Group

We are also delighted to have entered into a new twenty-year franchise agreement with the Alshaya Group, our most significant franchise partner. We highly value this long-standing and continuing strong commercial relationship, and we look forward to contributing to an extended period of mutually beneficial partnership growth in the future.

Other matters

As previously announced in March this year we emerged from the transaction and execution risks associated with the administration of Mothercare UK Limited and the associated restructuring of the business in November 2019. We reported on 23 January that the administration of Mothercare UK Limited had resulted in a substantial reduction in the amounts owed and, albeit with some potential claims still outstanding, we still estimate the shortfall that the Group may have an obligation to make good as some £10 million. Discussions continue with a number of parties in relation to the potential refinancing of the Group’s debt facilities in line with the guidance given in our most recent announcement of 22 June 2020.

In the Transformation Plan Update on 22 June 2020 we also announced that we were reviewing the timetable for publication of our audited annual report and accounts for the year ended 28 March 2020. A combination of factors including the discontinued businesses and COVID-19, have complicated the audit process meaning that more time is necessary in order to finalise the audit and financial statements. As a result, the standard shareholder resolutions relating to receiving the audited financial statements and the auditor’s and directors’ reports, approving the directors’ remuneration report and the re-appointment and remuneration of the auditors will be tabled at a separate “accounts meeting” of shareholders to be held no later than 29 December 2020. Notice of the general meeting and publication of the annual report and accounts will be published in due course. The AGM will be held no later than 30 September 2020 and the notice of meeting will be circulated in due course.

Change of Registered Office

With effect from 4 August 2020 the Company’s registered office is Westside 1, London Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 9TD.

Ends

For further information:

Mothercare plc

investorrelations@mothercare.com

Andrew Cook, Chief Financial Officer

Kevin Rusling, Chief Operating Officer

Numis Securities Ltd (Financial Adviser)

020 7260 1000

Luke Bordewich

Henry Slater

MHP Communications

07709 496 125

mothercare@mhpc.com

Simon Hockridge

Tim Rowntree

Alistair de Kare-Silver