JD Sports to snap up Footasylum in a £90m deal

Struggling shoe shop chain's shares jump 74% on news of takeover

Footasylum focuses on the footwear and apparel markets, targeting a younger trend-led consumer than JD (Reuters)

JD Sports is to buy fellow retailer Footasylum in a deal valuing the company at more than £90m.

The sportswear chain agreed to pay 82.5p per share for the shoe shop company – a 77.4 per cent increase on Footasylum’s closing price of 46.5p last week.

It comes just a month after JD said it had no intention of making an offer despite acquiring a stake of 8.3 per cent in the firm, which was later raised to more than 18 per cent.

Pentland, the majority shareholder of JD Sports, also has a 2.6 per cent holding in Footasylum.

Footasylum was founded in 2005 by David Makin, one of the cofounders of JD Sports. It focuses on the footwear and apparel markets, targeting a younger trend-led consumer.

JD said it expects the combined business to be able to take advantage of opportunities not available to either on an individual basis.

Barry Bown, executive chair of Footasylum, said: “The Footasylum board has concluded that the offer represents the best strategic option for Footasylum and its employees.

“It believes the offer fairly reflects Footasylum’s current market position and prospects on a standalone basis and, as such, that Footasylum shareholders should be given the opportunity to realise value from the offer.”

The offer will be subject to a shareholder vote, with the deal expected to complete in April or May.

JD’s executive chair Peter Cowgill said: “We are pleased to make this offer for Footasylum, which is very complementary to our existing businesses in the UK.

“We believe that there will be significant operational and strategic benefits through the combination of the very experienced and knowledgeable management team at Footasylum and our own expertise.”

PA