If Mike Ashley becomes boohoo CEO, could the share price rocket higher?

The boohoo Group (LSE: BOO) share worth rose 4% right this moment (24 October) after the corporate’s largest shareholder introduced plans to try to set up retail tycoon Mike Ashley as the brand new CEO.

Right here’s what we find out about this dramatic flip of occasions, and the way it might have an effect on the share worth of the embattled quick vogue agency.

What we all know

boohoo inventory has misplaced round 83% of its worth prior to now three years. Frasers Group has taken benefit of this collapse, increase a 27% stake since final summer season.

Mike Ashley is the founding father of Sports activities Direct, which later developed into Frasers. In an open letter dated 23 October, he pulled no punches. He referred to as boohoo’s buying and selling efficiency “abysmal” and mentioned there had been “long-term mismanagement“.

The corporate’s lately introduced debt refinancing was “wholly unsatisfactory” and an “appalling consequence for shareholders“. This confirmed the board “has misplaced its capacity to handle boohoo’s enterprise and investments“.

And the proposed answer, within the eyes of Frasers? To name a unprecedented shareholder assembly aimed toward appointing Mike Ashley and Mike Lennon as administrators, whereas changing outgoing CEO John Lyttle with Ashley himself.

Sliding gross sales

What to make of all this? Firstly, the buying and selling efficiency has been horrible, and I don’t assume all of that may be blamed on the powerful macroeconomic circumstances.

For instance, rival Shein reportedly doubled its UK income final 12 months as gross sales surged by practically 40% to £1.5bn. In the meantime, boohoo’s annual income slumped 17% to £1.5bn, with a pre-tax lack of £160m.

I’ve lengthy been bearish on boohoo inventory. A few years again, a fashion-conscious member of the family of mine (a lot youthful and trendier than me) turned her nostril up once I requested if she shopped at PrettyLittleThing (owned by boohoo). No person shopped there anymore, she asserted (considerably of an exaggeration, because it turned out). She and all of her pals now used Shein.

Admittedly, this was a tiny sampling dimension, however it confirmed to me that I’m finest off staying away from the shares. Younger shoppers will be very fickle relating to vogue, as boohoo proves.

Huge turnaround potential?

boohoo has recognisable manufacturers and I’ve to imagine there’s potential shareholder worth in there to be unlocked. The corporate has already hinted it could break itself as much as realise this worth.

If I had been a shareholder, I’d really feel extra assured with Mike Ashley on the helm (assuming he will get the job). He has huge expertise and is the kind of no-nonsense participant that would shake issues up for the higher.

Nevertheless, I doubt co-founder and govt chairman Mahmud Kamani will play ball. So there’s nonetheless a number of uncertainty right here.

The inventory appears very low-cost on a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.25. But gross sales have been falling for a while, together with gross revenue. Extra losses are anticipated in 2024/25. There’s not a lot to be bullish about.

From 28p right this moment, although, I can simply think about a situation the place the share worth surges increased if Ashley will get his manner. However the inventory stays far too speculative for me to contemplate investing.

I’ll watch developments from the sidelines, with popcorn.