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Mothercare Issues Going-Concern Warning After Loan Covenant Breach

A covenant breach has made the £8m loan callable, leaving the group dependent on new financing.

Overview

  • The company said there is a material uncertainty over its ability to continue operating without securing uncommitted or new funding.
  • Gordon Brothers has not requested immediate repayment of the facility, though the lender indicated a preference for earlier repayment.
  • Shares fell about 10% after results showed first-half franchise sales down 25% to £90.7m and group revenue down 45% to £11.6m following store closures and the end of the Boots tie-up.
  • Mothercare reported a pre-tax loss of £1.4m for the six months to September 27, with adjusted EBITDA of £0.8m and net debt reduced to £5.8m.
  • The group is pursuing refinancing and plans to rebuild scale while leaning on partnerships, including a South Asia venture with Reliance that targets new store openings in 2026 and a licensing deal in Türkiye with Ebebek.