Founder Share Plan

RNS Number : 5170Q

SuperGroup PLC

12 September 2017

 

SuperGroup<Plc

SuperGroup Plc ("SuperGroup" or the "Group") announces innovative

Founder Share Plan for all global colleagues

12 September 2017

The founders of Superdry have launched an innovative long-term incentive scheme (the "Scheme") under which they will share their wealth with all 4,500 colleagues in the business worldwide. The move is part of the wider strategy to attract, retain and reward the best people, one of the cornerstones of the success of Superdry as a global lifestyle brand.

At the conclusion of the scheme, Julian Dunkerton¹ and James Holder¹ will transfer into a fund 20 per cent of their gain from any increase in the Group's share price over a threshold of £18. The proceeds from this fund will be shared across the Superdry colleague base worldwide. Each £5 increase in the share price over the £18 threshold would see the founders putting £30m into the fund for all colleagues, including those who work part-time. At market close yesterday, shares in SuperGroup were trading at 1560p. 

Euan Sutherland, Chief Executive Officer, and Nick Wharton, Chief Financial Officer, participate in existing long-term incentive arrangements and have waived their entitlement to take part in the Scheme, in order to ensure it can cover everyone in the Group's stores and head office^2,3.  The entire cost⁴ of the plan is being funded by Julian and James.

Under the plan, for each £5 share increase over the £18 threshold, full-time store colleagues and those in the most junior roles in head office, totalling more than 2,600 people, would be awarded up to £2,000, at the end of the three-year plan period. The equivalent figure for store managers would be £28,000 for senior leaders up to £75,000 and for executive team members would start at £300,000.  All awards will be over and above existing pay and bonus arrangements. 

The Scheme, which will run from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2020, is being launched today as the Group holds its Annual General Meeting in Cheltenham.

Julian Dunkerton, SuperGroup Founder and the Group's Product and Brand Director, said:

"James and I passionately believe that the success of the Superdry brand is down to the combined work of all our people. As the founders of the business we remain significant investors and it is important to us that we share our on-going success with all colleagues. This is the right way to ensure that our great team is properly rewarded for all the work they are doing to grow our global lifestyle brand."

Euan Sutherland, SuperGroup Chief Executive Officer, said:

"SuperGroup's strategy is delivering for consumers, colleagues and investors, driven by the hard work of our people that drives the relentless innovation across our business. We have achieved significant growth in sales and profits across all channels and geographies, while operationally transforming the business as a global team.

We remain confident in our strategy and believe that this innovative approach to reward for everyone will help us attract and retain the very best talent as we continue to deliver for consumers and create sustainable value for our investors."

Peter Bamford, Chairman of SuperGroup, said:

"This plan is in keeping with the entrepreneurial spirit of SuperGroup, rewarding all our colleagues with a share of the value they help create for investors. We consulted widely with leading investors, who welcomed this as an innovative way for founders to share their wealth, based on the delivery of growth for all investors."

For further information:
SuperGroup
Nick Wharton	[phone]
Chief Financial Officer	[e-mail]
Tulchan Communications
Susanna Voyle	[phone]
Samantha Chiene	[e-mail]

Notes:

1.   Julian Dunkerton's and James Holder's shareholdings at 11 September 2017 were 21,724,897 (26.67% of issued share capital) and 8,593, 730 (10.55%) respectively. The individual contributions of Julian Dunkerton and James Holder will be in relation to the level of their shareholdings in SuperGroup.

2.   No members of the Board are participating in the scheme.

3.   All employees of SuperGroup and its subsidiaries will qualify for the Scheme, whether full or part-time, if they have been employed for at least 18 months when the plan matures. Senior staff will get share options which are exercisable in January 2021 and January 2022; other colleagues will receive awards (whether in cash or share options) in January 2021 and July 2021.

4.   The plan is one off in nature and unusual in that the share awards are being funded exclusively by the founders. Accordingly, we anticipate the share based payment charge will be reported outside underlying earnings.

Media images available on request from [e-mail].

Notes to Editors

SuperGroup is the owner of British lifestyle brand Superdry. A brand designed for attitude not age with affordable, premium-quality clothing, accessories, footwear and cosmetics.

As we develop the breadth and nature of our product range, we continue to appeal to a much broader, aspirational age group. Those who want to feel amazing in what they wear and appreciate style, quality and attention to detail.

Already well established in the UK - our home market - we operate a significant and continually expanding international business, selling through our websites, wholesale partners, a network of franchise stores and, increasingly, our independent stores. We are becoming a more efficient business as we improve our process from design to customer and refine our wholesale model. Simultaneously, we are focused on expanding our business globally, and we have a clear strategy for growing our e-commerce business as well as Europe, North America and China.

The Group has a physical presence in 62 countries through 863 stores and concessions globally. We also have a successful e-commerce business with 27 international websites across 18 countries covering 12 different languages.

Cautionary Statement

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition and operational results of SuperGroup Plc. These statements and forecasts involve risk, uncertainty and assumptions because they relate to events and depend upon circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made only as at the date of this announcement. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as a profit forecast. Except as required by law, SuperGroup Plc has no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to correct any inaccuracies therein.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

 

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