Latest news with #Zeder
Fashion Network
15-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Show organiser WSN acquires majority stake in Labomode, owner of Fashop and PagesMode
WSN, the organiser of trade shows like Who's Next, Bijorhca, Salon international de la lingerie (SIL), and Première Classe, as well as of the Run and Drop events during Paris Fashion Week, has strengthened its range of solutions to assist fashion brands and retailers by acquiring a majority stake in Labomode Group. By buying a stake in Labomode, WSN wants to offer new services to its clients - FNW Labomode was founded by Philippe Zeder and runs PagesMode, an online directory of fashion industry operators and events, and Fashop, which specialises in gathering and analysing data on the business of fashion chains and distribution networks. 'Buying a stake in Labomode Group marks a new step in our strategy of providing concrete solutions to the industry. Fashop and PagesMode are key suppliers of fashion industry data in France,' said Frédéric Maus, president of WSN, which is owned by the Comexposium group. Maus told that many exhibitors are already using Fashop's services to prepare for fashion shows in France. 'This partnership opens up new prospects for us: Integrating artificial intelligence into our tools to forecast and anticipate market trends, and exploring new sectors while expanding our scope to other creative domains — fashion, lifestyle, design — and supporting our communities in new geographical areas,' he added. Fashop focuses on ready-to-wear and fashion accessories retailers in France, and could be extended to cover other categories treated by WSN, such as lifestyle and object design, as well as other sectors in which Comexposium is active with its trade shows. A diversification strategy that will have to be approved by Comexposium's future boss, since its current CEO, Renaud Hamaide, is about to leave. WSN staff will be able to cross-reference their own expertise with company data drawn from Fashop and PagesMode to develop new services for fashion brands, such as market research, prospecting tools, and trend analysis; and to develop solutions aimed at retailers, to help them boost in-store traffic and detect market signals. For next September's show season, WSN will offer targeted market studies to exhibitors. 'Together, we can put at the industry's disposal a range of concrete and powerful solutions, with Fashop and the WSN shows in the B2B field, and with PagesMode in the B2C field,' said Zeder, who founded Labomode 15 years ago. 'Our digital expertise will augment the impact of WSN's physical events and give brands an additional, coherent and efficient growth solution,' he added. Zeder will continue to oversee Labomode, which will retain its staff and Strasbourg offices. The group did not disclose the value of the acquisition, and Maus said that WSN could take complete control in the next few years, with the goal of offering a full range of services to brands and retailers in the near future.
Fashion Network
15-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Show organiser WSN acquires majority stake in Labomode, owner of Fashop and PagesMode
WSN, the organiser of trade shows like Who's Next, Bijorhca, Salon international de la lingerie (SIL), and Première Classe, as well as of the Run and Drop events during Paris Fashion Week, has strengthened its range of solutions to assist fashion brands and retailers by acquiring a majority stake in Labomode Group. By buying a stake in Labomode, WSN wants to offer new services to its clients - FNW Labomode was founded by Philippe Zeder and runs PagesMode, an online directory of fashion industry operators and events, and Fashop, which specialises in gathering and analysing data on the business of fashion chains and distribution networks. 'Buying a stake in Labomode Group marks a new step in our strategy of providing concrete solutions to the industry. Fashop and PagesMode are key suppliers of fashion industry data in France,' said Frédéric Maus, president of WSN, which is owned by the Comexposium group. Maus told that many exhibitors are already using Fashop's services to prepare for fashion shows in France. 'This partnership opens up new prospects for us: Integrating artificial intelligence into our tools to forecast and anticipate market trends, and exploring new sectors while expanding our scope to other creative domains — fashion, lifestyle, design — and supporting our communities in new geographical areas,' he added. Fashop focuses on ready-to-wear and fashion accessories retailers in France, and could be extended to cover other categories treated by WSN, such as lifestyle and object design, as well as other sectors in which Comexposium is active with its trade shows. A diversification strategy that will have to be approved by Comexposium's future boss, since its current CEO, Renaud Hamaide, is about to leave. WSN staff will be able to cross-reference their own expertise with company data drawn from Fashop and PagesMode to develop new services for fashion brands, such as market research, prospecting tools, and trend analysis; and to develop solutions aimed at retailers, to help them boost in-store traffic and detect market signals. For next September's show season, WSN will offer targeted market studies to exhibitors. 'Together, we can put at the industry's disposal a range of concrete and powerful solutions, with Fashop and the WSN shows in the B2B field, and with PagesMode in the B2C field,' said Zeder, who founded Labomode 15 years ago. 'Our digital expertise will augment the impact of WSN's physical events and give brands an additional, coherent and efficient growth solution,' he added. Zeder will continue to oversee Labomode, which will retain its staff and Strasbourg offices. The group did not disclose the value of the acquisition, and Maus said that WSN could take complete control in the next few years, with the goal of offering a full range of services to brands and retailers in the near future.
Fashion Network
14-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Show organiser WSN acquires majority stake in Labomode, owner of Fashop and PagesMode
WSN, the organiser of trade shows like Who's Next, Bijorhca, Salon international de la lingerie (SIL), and Première Classe, as well as of the Run and Drop events during Paris Fashion Week, has strengthened its range of solutions to assist fashion brands and retailers by acquiring a majority stake in Labomode Group. By buying a stake in Labomode, WSN wants to offer new services to its clients - FNW Labomode was founded by Philippe Zeder and runs PagesMode, an online directory of fashion industry operators and events, and Fashop, which specialises in gathering and analysing data on the business of fashion chains and distribution networks. 'Buying a stake in Labomode Group marks a new step in our strategy of providing concrete solutions to the industry. Fashop and PagesMode are key suppliers of fashion industry data in France,' said Frédéric Maus, president of WSN, which is owned by the Comexposium group. Maus told that many exhibitors are already using Fashop's services to prepare for fashion shows in France. 'This partnership opens up new prospects for us: Integrating artificial intelligence into our tools to forecast and anticipate market trends, and exploring new sectors while expanding our scope to other creative domains — fashion, lifestyle, design — and supporting our communities in new geographical areas,' he added. Fashop focuses on ready-to-wear and fashion accessories retailers in France, and could be extended to cover other categories treated by WSN, such as lifestyle and object design, as well as other sectors in which Comexposium is active with its trade shows. A diversification strategy that will have to be approved by Comexposium's future boss, since its current CEO, Renaud Hamaide, is about to leave. WSN staff will be able to cross-reference their own expertise with company data drawn from Fashop and PagesMode to develop new services for fashion brands, such as market research, prospecting tools, and trend analysis; and to develop solutions aimed at retailers, to help them boost in-store traffic and detect market signals. For next September's show season, WSN will offer targeted market studies to exhibitors. 'Together, we can put at the industry's disposal a range of concrete and powerful solutions, with Fashop and the WSN shows in the B2B field, and with PagesMode in the B2C field,' said Zeder, who founded Labomode 15 years ago. 'Our digital expertise will augment the impact of WSN's physical events and give brands an additional, coherent and efficient growth solution,' he added. Zeder will continue to oversee Labomode, which will retain its staff and Strasbourg offices. The group did not disclose the value of the acquisition, and Maus said that WSN could take complete control in the next few years, with the goal of offering a full range of services to brands and retailers in the near future.
IOL News
24-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Zeder Investments' net asset value per share falls after returning nearly R1bn to shareholsers
Johann le Roux, the CEO of Zeder. He said that by February 29, 2025, they had a stable balance sheet and sufficient cash resources to tackle challenges in the new financial year. Image: Supplied Zeder Investments, the JSE-listed company with agribusiness investments, said Thursday that net asset value per share (NAVPS( fell by 28.6% for the year to February 28 due to special dividends paid and the lower valuation of an associate investment in Turkey. Zeder's NAVPS was R1.77 at the year end, or 71 cents per share lower, when compared to NAVPS of R2.48 at February 28, 2024. The share price fell by 1.4% to R1.44 on Thursday afternoon after experiencing much volatility this year in line with the general stock market, CEO Johann le Roux said in a presentation. The company paid out an aggregate of 61 cents per share in special dividends during the past year, much higher than the 15 cents a share paid out in 2023. Le Roux said their strategy remained to create maximum wealth for shareholders, and last year R939 million was returned to shareholders. Although the group held just over R200m in cash, no dividends were declared for the year ended February 28 due to the uncertain macro-economic environment, but the intention was to declare further dividends at a later stage, said Le Roux. There had been a downward adjustment in the valuation of holding company Zaad, following the lower valuation of its associate investment in Turkey. The lower valuation of Zaad's African operations reported in the interim results was offest by an improvement in the valuation of most South African seed and chemical operations. Le Roux said trading conditions were difficult in Turkey with high inflation and interest rates, but management was optimistic about May Seed's prospects for the upcoming season. Headline earnings per share plunged from a profit of 0.8 cents in the previous year to a loss of 10.0 cents, mainly as a result of the downward valuation of the unlisted investments. At the close of business on April 11, 2025, Zeder's Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) value per share amounted to R1.77, with cash increasing as a result of the further R54m special dividend received from Pome Investments, with the resultant decrease in the valuation of Pome Investments. In November and December, Zeder's indirect subsidiary, Capespan Agri, sold its three primary farming production units and the Novo fruit packhouse to various third parties for R713m, of which R621m equated to Zeder's 87.1% interest, and for which R483m had been received so far. As a result, Zeder had declared and paid special dividends in aggregate of R477m, or 31 cents per share, to shareholders in November and December. Accordingly, Zeder's SOTP valuation of Pome Investments had been adjusted to reflect the decrease in its net asset value as a result of the special dividends received by Zeder. Zeder Financial Services received a further special dividend of R54m from Pome Investments subsequent to year-end, on March 19, 2025. During December 2024, the final earn-out payment of R30m was received in cash, arising from the 2022 disposal of The Logistics Group. Zeder's board has remained in talks with third parties about Zaad, and further wealth maximising strategies were being assessed. On March 26, a sale of shares agreement was reached by Zaad with ETG Inputs to dispose of its operations in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Zambia, including the intellectual property rights associated with said operations held by Bakker Brothers in the Netherlands, as one transaction, for R135m. 'The macro environment in which Zeder and its portfolio companies operate remained relatively constrained during the year, mainly due to volatile weather patterns, various risks associated with global market dynamics, and the continued conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe,' the company's directors said. Le Roux said they anticipated that the uncertainty and volatility in the markets that Zeder operates in will continue for the short- to medium-term, but the company was well positioned with a stable balance sheet and sufficient cash resources. BUSINESS REPORT
