M&S Reports on Recovery from Major Cyber-Attack Impacting Sales

Marks & Spencer (M&S) is set to update shareholders on May 20 regarding its recovery from a significant cyber-attack that occurred around Easter 2025. The attack forced M&S to halt all online sales for six weeks and disrupted logistics, leading to empty shelves. The retailer projected a £136 million loss in annual profits due to the incident, with £34 million expected in the last six months of the financial year. M&S aims to confirm whether operations in its fashion and beauty sectors have returned to normal. Analysts predict a pre-tax profit of £654 million for the year, a 25% decrease from the previous year. However, expectations for the current year are optimistic, with forecasts suggesting profits could rebound to £920 million. Concerns remain regarding inflation, soft fashion data, and political uncertainty affecting consumer confidence.

Key Points: • M&S experienced a cyber-attack in Easter 2025, halting online sales for six weeks. • The attack is projected to result in a £136 million loss in annual profits for M&S. • Analysts expect M&S's profits to rebound beyond pre-attack levels in the current financial year.