Shares of troubled Glasgow fashion firm Quiz plc fell more than 40% after it warned that it its existing bank facilities could be fully utilised in the first quarter of 2025 and that it may require additional funding at that stage.
The firm’s shares have plummeted to around 3p, reducing its stock market value to about £3.8 million.
The news was contained in an update on trading for the four-month period from to November 30, 2024, and an update on the firm’s bank facilities and cash position.
“For the first three months of the Period from 1 August to 31 October, several of the Group’s KPIs were trending positively,” said Quiz.
“However, during the important trading month of November, Quiz experienced a marked decline in traffic both online and in-store compared to previous months and the comparable period in the prior year.
“Whilst it remains uncertain at this stage what the impact of Black Friday (being a week later than the previous year) and the recent UK budget announcement is having on this year’s pattern and level of spend, revenues in the period from 1 August to 30 November 2024 amounted to £24.9 million, a £1.5 million reduction on the prior year period.
“Similar to many retailers, revenues generated across November and December are key to the performance of the business across the year.
“Consequently, further to the notable decline in traffic and footfall in November, sales for the eight months 30 November 2024 were behind management expectations at £52.2m, an 8.6% reduction from £57.1m in the previous year …”
On its bank facilities and cash position, Quiz said: “The Group has £4.0 million of bank facilities which are scheduled to expire on 30 June 2025. There are no financial covenants applicable to these facilities which are repayable on demand.
“As at 5 December 2024, the Group had net borrowings of £2.8 million and total liquidity headroom of £1.2 million.
“The Board is focussed on managing the Group’s working capital carefully. Given the disappointing level of revenues in November the cash headroom available to the business is less than previously anticipated.
“As a result, and subject to the trading performance during the important pre-and-post-Christmas period, the Group’s existing bank facilities could be fully utilised in the first quarter of 2025.
“The Group previously announced, on 29 August 2024, that Tarak Ramzan, the Company’s founder and largest shareholder, has offered to provide a £1.0 million loan facility to provide additional liquidity headroom for working capital purposes.
“The agreement in relation to the Majority Shareholder Loan remains outstanding and is subject to approval from the provider of the Company’s banking facilities …
“Given the decline in the revenues during the key trading month of November and the requirement to improve the liquidity of the business the Board is reviewing the Group’s financing and strategic options and has engaged advisors to consider appropriate options. A further update to shareholders will be provided as and when appropriate.
“In the absence of either a material improvement to trading during the important pre-and-post-Christmas period, the Majority Shareholder Loan being agreed and made available to the Group or a combination of these eventualities, the Board anticipates that additional funding will be required by the Group in the first quarter of 2025.”