Reiss owner reportedly mulling sale of well-performing retailer

The owner of Reiss is reportedly considering selling the British fashion retailer after a period of impressive trading and against a broader backdrop of troubled British retail.

Warburg Pincus, which took a majority stake in the fashion chain back in 2016, has appointed investment bank Rothschild to review its strategic options, according to Sky News.

While Warburg Pincus could retain its stake, sources told Sky that the likeliest outcome would be a sales process that could be launched during the second quarter of 2020.

Reiss, which has a presence in 15 countries and trades from 69 standalone stores, would likely attract strong interest from a range of bidders - the company has been posting strong results against a broadly bleak backdrop for British retail.

For the year to February 2019, sales at the chain were up 8.3 percent to 186.3 million pounds while EBITDA increased 21.3 percent to 19.3 million pounds. The company said a refreshed brand and product offer both in-store and online, reduced promotional activity and a focus on full-price sales contributed to its success.

Photo credit: Reiss, Facebook