Bimba y Lola again on the lookout for investors

By

Anaïs Lerévérend

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Feb 12, 2018

Spanish women's fashion label Bimba y Lola is looking for a new owner. On 9th February, Spanish business news agency El Independiente announced that the Morgan Stanley bank was commissioned to seek for investors several months ago, and has approached a series of international investment funds with a view to their acquiring a majority stake in Bimba y Lola.

Still according to El Independiente, the accessible luxury label is targeting funds like Bain Capital, PAI, Permira, CVC, Carlyle and TowerBrook. Its proposal is for investors to buy a 70% stake in the brand, on condition that the current senior management team, and notably founders María and Uxía Domínguez, stay on board. The operation, once concluded, is expected to value Bimba y Lola at €450 million.

It is not the first time that the Spanish label is looking for a majority shareholder. In 2013, Bimba y Lola was in advanced negotiations with L Catterton (formerly L Capital), though they eventually fell through. The label is still keen on the idea of financing its expansion through a partial sale.

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In the last few years, Bimba y Lola has grown in size, and in order to continue to expand, notably internationally, it needs new financial clout. The womenswear label is growing by leaps and bounds, having closed the 2016-17 financial year at the end of February with a 31.7% rise in revenue, up to €152.4 million. In the first six months of the current financial year, Bimba y Lola posted a 24% revenue increase.

According to Spanish media, the label is targeting a revenue of €180 million in 2018, with EBITDA worth €35 million. In the last few seasons, Bimba y Lola opened dozens of monobrand stores and department store concessions, and it altogether operates nearly 250 of them.