Cyber attack slashes M&S first half profit by 55.4 percent

British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) reported a sharp 55.4 percent decline in first-half underlying profit, a drop that directly reflects the profound impact of a cyber security breach in April. The attack forced M&S to suspend its online clothing orders for seven weeks and severely disrupted its e-commerce platform and backend systems, which affected sales and margins across the Group. In its latest financial report, M&S confirmed the disruption caused by the incident is projected to reduce group operating profit by approximately 300 pounds million for the 2025/26 fiscal year, underscoring the substantial financial toll.