The latest move from Frasers Group has sent shockwaves through the Australian market as the retail conglomerate fronted by billionaire Mike Ashley makes a £166m offer to acquire Accent, a leading shoe retailer Down Under. The proposed deal comes with a strong call for Accent's chairman, Lawrence Myers, to step down, citing concerns over poor performance and questionable management decisions.
The offer, which values the deal at A$136m (approximately £166m), represents a 65 Australian cent per share bid for Accent stock not already owned by Frasers. This is significantly lower than the A$0.90 per share Frasers paid for Accent shares as recently as February this year, raising questions about the motivations behind this latest move.
Despite acknowledging Accent's long-term potential and the strength of its retail network, Frasers Group has expressed 'significant concerns' regarding the company's current management. These concerns centre on decisions to prioritise shareholder distributions during a period of declining earnings and excessive executive pay. Notably, Accent's CEO, Daniel Agostinelli, received a A$1.6m package last year, with 82% of shareholders voting against the remuneration report at the last annual meeting.
Accent, which operates over 900 stores across Australia and New Zealand and reported total sales of A$1.6bn in the year to June last year, has acknowledged the 'unsolicited' bid and advised shareholders to take no immediate action while it reviews the offer. The company's profit after tax for the same period saw a 3% decline to A$57.7m.
This move is consistent with Frasers Group's strategy of acquiring significant stakes in other retailers, often followed by more substantial plays. The group, which includes brands like Flannels and Jack Wills, recently made a €2bn bid for German luxury brand Hugo Boss. Analysts have suggested that such offers may not be 'designed to succeed' in a straightforward takeover but rather to provide greater flexibility in building a stake or exert influence.
The news saw Accent's shares on the Australian market jump by nearly 14% to 74 Australian cents, a price notably above Frasers' offer. Meanwhile, Frasers Group's share price on the FTSE 250 experienced a slight dip, falling by nearly 2% to 777p following the announcement.