{
  "id": 9755986,
  "title": "Poundland suitors tussle to buy £30m discount retailer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/poundland-suitors-tussle-to-buy-30m-discount-retailer",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-25T11:34:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "City AM",
    "slug": "city-am",
    "url": "https://www.cityam.com/multiple-bidders-kick-off-30m-poundland-sale/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Several bidders will submit offers for Poundland on Friday as the owners seek £30 million for the discount retailer they purchased for just £1. Multiple parties are anticipated to present their bids to Gordon Brothers, the US investment firm that owns Poundland, ahead of the Christmas trading period. The expected bids could encompass a substantial portion, if not all, of Poundland's 600 stores, according to a source familiar with the process. Gordon Brothers is requesting £30 million to cover a shareholder loan inherited from the retailer's previous owners, Pepco. Most potential buyers have not expressed concerns about funding this loan. Modella Capital, a Mayfair-based private equity firm that acquired WH Smith's former high street stores, is among the interested parties. Fortress, a US private equity firm that owns US discount chain Poundstretcher, has also been in negotiations to submit a bid, as reported by the Financial Times. Earlier this week, City AM reported that Gordon Brothers is contemplating a separate sale of Poundland's 70 Irish stores, which trade under the Dealz brand, as the firm saw significant interest in its Irish business. Poundland is reportedly considering a management buyout (MBO) for itself as part of the sale process. The firm has appointed advisors Alvarez & Marsal to prepare a list of formal bids by the end of the month with the goal of signing a deal before the fourth quarter trading begins. Poundland has faced difficulties in recent years, resulting in a £85 million pre-tax loss and a nearly doubling of its £45 million loss from the previous year. The retailer's sales declined by 12 percent to £1.5 billion, with directors attributing the widening loss to challenging trading conditions and a significant restructuring program. Poundland's managing director, Barry Williams, stated that the company is working on rebuilding customer trust by delivering the desired ranges and price simplicity. Gordon Brothers and Alvarez & Marsal did not provide comment on the matter.",
  "summary": "Several bidders will table offers for Poundland on Friday, as the owners of the discount retailer seek £30m for the company they bought for just £1. Multiple suitors are expected to hand their bids to Gordon Brothers, which owns Poundland, on Friday, as the US investment firm rushes to complete a deal before the Christmas [...]",
  "key_points": [
    "Several bidders expected to submit offers for Poundland by Friday.",
    "Gordon Brothers seeks £30 million to cover shareholder loan.",
    "Modella Capital and Fortress among interested parties."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}