Finance

UK retail tycoon Mike Ashley uses Frasers shares as collateral for loan

Published by Global Banking and Finance Review

Posted on December 9, 2025

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Dec ‌9 (Reuters) - British retail tycoon Mike Ashley ‍has ‌pledged around 670 million pounds ($890.6 million) ⁠worth of shares ‌in his sportswear and fashion retailer Frasers Group Plc as collateral for a ⁠loan from HSBC, according to filing on Tuesday.

Ashley's ​holding company, MASH Beta Limited, ‌which holds the ⁠majority of Frasers' issued share capital, pledged about 103.6 million ordinary shares.

Frasers' ​shares were down about 1.3% at 646.5 pence as of Tuesday's last close.

This move comes after the company's ​heavy ‍investments in ​newer geographies and taking or increasing shareholding in recent months across companies, from fashion groups to electrical retailers.

Mike Ashley holds roughly a 73% stake in ⁠Frasers, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company whose ​portfolio includes Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Flannels, reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast earlier this ‌month.

($1 = 0.7523 pounds)

(Reporting by Sruthi Narasimha Chari in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)

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