Sublease of US distribution centre
Summary by AI BETAClose X
12 June 2026
boohoo group plc
("Debenhams Group", the "Group" or the "Company")
Sublease of US distribution centre
Debenhams Group (AIM: DEBS), a leading online platform, announces that it has completed the sublease of its distribution centre in the United States to ID Logistics, a leading global third-party logistics (3PL) operator (the "Sublease").
The 1.1 million sq. ft distribution centre in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, opened in August 2023 and was operational for approximately 15 months. The facility is a manual, non-automated operation. The Group ceased operations on 11 November 2024, with fulfilment of US orders returning to the UK.
To date the Group has incurred approximately $124m of costs at the site, covering rent, operating costs and capital investment.
The facility, which is surplus to the Group's operational requirements, carries approximately 8.5 years remaining on the lease term, representing approximately $100m of future lease and holding costs. Mitigating the Group's liability has been a strategic priority as part of its transition to an asset-light operating model. The Sublease materially reduces the Group's future cash obligations while securing a long-term occupier for the site, with ID Logistics expected to commence occupation on 1 August 2026 until the end of the Group's lease.
Financial impact
The transaction has resulted in an unaudited non-cash exceptional credit of approximately £40m to the income statement relating to the recognition of an asset on the balance sheet for the future sublease payments, which (subject to audit confirmation) will be reflected in the Group's H1 results. As previously guided in the Group's Q1 trading update, the Sublease represents a key step in reducing the Group's future annual lease costs.
The Group's lease costs in the current year will be £13m, which will further reduce to £8m in FY28 and £6m in FY29 as the benefits of the $9.5m average annual rent income under the Sublease are fully realised. The £6m ongoing lease costs will include the fully automated Sheffield warehouse, the Manchester head office, as well as a small London footprint. Other costs of approximately $20m associated with the Group's lease obligations will be covered under the terms of the Sublease
Dan Finley, Group CEO, commented:
"This is a significant development. The US DC was a major contributor to the challenges that the company has faced. One of my first actions in role was to close the US DC and the sublease of it mitigates a material future liability. Our turnaround strategy continues at pace."
Enquiries
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Debenhams Group |
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Phil Ellis, Chief Financial Officer |
Tel: +44 (0)161 233 2050 |
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Zeus - Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker |
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Dan Bate / James Edis / Emma Burn |
Tel: +44 (0)161 831 1512 |
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Nick Searle / Dominic King |
Tel: +44 (0)20 3829 5000 |
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Panmure Liberum - Joint Broker |
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Mark Dickenson / James Sinclair-Ford / Ailsa MacMaster |
Tel: +44 (0)20 3100 2000 |
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Sodali & Co - Financial PR Adviser |
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Ben Foster / Louisa Henry |
Tel: +44 (0)20 3984 0114 |
About Debenhams Group
Debenhams Group is an online platform for fashion, home and beauty, serving millions of customers across five shopping destinations: Debenhams, Karen Millen, boohoo, MAN and PLT. Debenhams Group dates back to 1778 when William Clark, a retail pioneer of the time, opened the UK's first department store. Today, the Group is home to Debenhams, Britain's online department store and leading fashion-led marketplaces, boohoo, PLT, MAN, and Karen Millen.
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