Fashion
New Look sales and profits dip as it discounts heavily, but CEO upbeat as progress is made
Published
January 5, 2026
New Look has filed its accounts for the year to the end of March and they show both challenges and progress. The company — or New Look Retailers Limited to give it its official name — is reportedly up for sale. So what condition would any buyer find it in?
Bearing in mind that the latest year was the 52 weeks to late March 2025, rather than 53 weeks in the prior year, it saw a revenue fall that was about more than just the loss of an extra trading week.
The company said that total revenue dropped to £687.7 million from £735.4 million due to “store closures and tough trading conditions”.
The gross margin fell to 48.1% from 48.7% due to higher levels of discounting, the overall challenging market and unseasonal weather.
Meanwhile the company’s adjusted EBITDA fell to £18.47 million from £46.65 million due to that reduction in sales and the increased promotional activity.
The operating loss was £47.6 million after a profit of £17.4 million on the same basis is the year before. The statutory loss before tax widen to £77.2 million from a £3.6 million loss the previous year, partly due to those lower sales but also increased admin expenses. They included the cost of liquidation of the Irish business (which added up to more than £40 million) and increased staff costs. Finance expense was also higher for the business.
The net loss for the period was also £77.2 million after a £3.7 million loss in the prior year.
But the company got a £30 million cash injection from its shareholders to accelerate its digital transformation during the period.
Other upbeat news during the year was that the company remains a key part of the UK womenswear retail scene (it was number three overall for womenswear in the 18 to 44 age range both online and offline). It also maintained its number one market share position in women’s dresses, jeans and footwear.
And its total known customers grew by 15% to 10 million with its CRM customer base growing 32% to 4.5 million.
It ended the year with 337 stores compared to 356 in the previous period.
CEO Helen Connolly told FashionNetwork.com: “The past year has been about sharpening our focus and strengthening our existing foundations. We have made deliberate choices to simplify the business and invest where we know we can win – in digital, data and customer experience.
“Moving through the festive season, we are seeing encouraging signs of momentum, with strong customer loyalty and engagement, along with an expanding digital base. We remain focused on our goal to double digital orders from £500m to £1bn by 2030. There is still more to do, but our direction is clear and our strategy is working. We are entering this next phase with confidence, discipline and a strong understanding of what matters most to our customers.”
As her upbeat stance suggests, the company has been putting a number of growth initiatives in place since the financial year ended and only last month named a new retail director responsible for the store estate and for implementing its omnichannel strategy across stores “to drive sales and enhance the customer experience”.
It also recently launched its first-ever loyalty programme, Club New Look; added all its major suppliers to the TrusTrace global platform to standardise its supply chain traceability and compliance data management; and got that big cash injection. The £30 million will be spent on its data, AI and e-commerce platforms “to enhance [the] seamless, personalised shopping experience for its 10 million customers”. As well as doubling digital orders from to £1 billion by 2030, it wants to grab a 10% online market share by FY28.
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Fashion
Switzerland’s Rieter orders steady at $907 mn amid cautious market
The components division generated CHF 193.5 million (~$249.6 million) in orders amid cautious investment in new machinery, while the After Sales division posted a 6 per cent increase to CHF 163.6 million, supported by expanded service networks and stronger activity in Central Asia and China.
Rieter has reported stable 2025 order intake of CHF 703.4 million (~$907.4 million) despite market uncertainty, while sales fell 20 per cent to CHF 685.1 million (~$883.8 million).
Cost controls delivered positive operating EBIT, but Barmag-related charges led to a net loss.
The Barmag acquisition expands fibre capabilities.
For 2026, Rieter projects CHF 1.3-1.5 billion ($1.68-1.94 billion) sales.
Group sales declined 20 per cent YoY to CHF 685.1 million (~$883.8 million) from CHF 859.1 million, reflecting subdued market demand. Sales in Machines and Systems dropped 23 per cent to CHF 329.1 million, Components fell 19 per cent to CHF 200.8 million, and After Sales decreased 17 per cent to CHF 155.2 million. Order backlog stood at around CHF 510 million at the end of 2025, Rieter said in a press release.
Despite weaker sales, Rieter achieved a positive operating EBIT of CHF 2.5 million through cost control measures. However, restructuring expenses and transaction costs related to the Barmag acquisition, totalling CHF 54.2 million, resulted in a net loss of CHF 63.4 million for the year compared with a net profit of CHF 10.4 million in 2024. Free cash flow turned negative at CHF 40.6 million, although net liquidity improved to CHF 184.3 million following a capital increase completed in October 2025.
Given the negative earnings, the board has proposed no dividend distribution while reaffirming its long-term policy of paying at least 40 per cent of net profit. The equity ratio strengthened to 53.3 per cent at the end of 2025, reflecting the capital raise linked to the acquisition.
Rieter completed the acquisition of Barmag on February 2, 2026, integrating the business as its new Man-Made Fiber Division. The move expands the company’s capabilities beyond short-staple fibre machinery, positioning it as a system supplier across natural and man-made fibre processing and strengthening technological capabilities in automation and digitisation.
The company expects at least CHF 20 million in synergies from the acquisition and has outlined new medium-term scenarios. Depending on market conditions, annual sales could range from CHF 1.4 billion with 2-5 per cent operating margins in a subdued environment to CHF 2.2 billion with margins of 8-11 per cent under strong demand.
For 2026, which Rieter described as a transition year, the group forecasts sales between CHF 1.3 billion and CHF 1.5 billion ($1.68-1.94 billion) and a positive operating EBIT margin of 0-3 per cent as integration and restructuring initiatives progress. Financing for the combined entity’s development is fully secured.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Fashion
China’s sock exports at $6.7 bn, volume rises amid price sensitivity
According to *fashion.com/market-intelligence/texpro-textile-and-apparel/” target=”_blank”>sourcing intelligence tool TexPro, export volumes reached **.*** billion pairs in ****, up from **.*** billion pairs in **** and **.*** billion pairs in ****. This steady rise in shipments highlights China’s scale advantage and strong manufacturing ecosystem, enabling suppliers to push higher volumes into international markets even amid softer demand conditions and heightened price sensitivity among buyers.
Average export prices continued their downward trajectory, declining to $*.** per pair in **** from $*.** in ****, $*.** in **** and $*.** in ****. The sustained erosion in unit values suggests a combination of factors, including aggressive pricing competition, a shift towards lower-priced product mixes, and buyer efforts to optimise sourcing costs in an uncertain global consumption environment.
Fashion
Texwin Spinning showcasing premium cotton yarn range at VIATT 2026
At the exhibition, Texwin Spinning is showcasing its comprehensive range of cotton yarns, including combed compact yarn (Ne 16’s to 40’s) for weaving and knitting applications, carded compact yarn (Ne 16’s to 40’s), and high-performance components such as comber, flat and lickerin. The company manufactures its products using high-grade raw cotton in a fully automated facility, ensuring superior quality, strength, uniformity and consistency across textile processes.
“VIATT provides an excellent platform to connect with international buyers and industry stakeholders. We look forward to presenting our premium cotton yarn portfolio and strengthening our presence in the ASEAN and global markets,” Bhagya Chikani of Texwin Spinning told Fibre2Fashion.
Texwin Spinning Pvt Ltd is exhibiting at the Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) 2026 which is being held in Ho Chi Minh City from February 26-28.
The company is showcasing its premium combed and carded compact cotton yarns (Ne 16’s-40’s) along with textile components, aiming to expand its footprint across ASEAN and global markets.
Positioned as ASEAN’s most comprehensive textile trade platform, VIATT covers the entire textile value chain, bringing together global stakeholders from apparel fabrics and fashion to home textiles, technical textiles and advanced manufacturing technologies. With a strong emphasis on innovation, digitalisation and sustainability through initiatives such as ‘Econogy’, the fair serves as a strategic business hub for the region’s textile and garment industry.
Established in 2021, Texwin Spinning Pvt Ltd is a Gujarat-based manufacturer of premium-quality cotton yarn. Headquartered in Rajkot, the company serves both domestic and export markets and is guided by “Quality Is Our Motto.” Through a strong commitment to quality standards, customer satisfaction and continuous growth, Texwin Spinning continues to strengthen its brand presence in the competitive textile industry.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)
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