Frasers Group has bought the intellectual property (IP) of Matches, including the brand name and database, and licensed it back to the administrators, aiming to continue its operations and potentially sell off assets.
Frasers Group has secured the IP assets of Matches, which includes the company name, trademark, and database, for an undisclosed amount. They've licensed these assets to Teneo Financial Advisory, allowing the business to operate as long as possible.
The deal allows Matches to continue trading and selling its stock. Frasers, as the main creditor with £209.4M owed, aims to maximize returns from this arrangement, although suppliers might see little return.
With over 540 luxury brands owed £35.9M, the prospects for full repayment are slim. Experts predict these brands will receive less than one penny per pound owed, depending mainly on property sales rather than stock sales.
Stephen Sidkin from Fox Williams suggests Frasers could either sell the IP when the market improves or use it strategically to direct online traffic to Frasers-owned entities. The future of Matches post-administration remains uncertain as Frasers shows reluctance to invest further after a £33M loss.
Will Frasers' IP strategy revive Matches?
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