H&M Group takes minority stake in e-commerce firm Centra
H&M has taken a minority stake in e-commerce firm Centra as it looks to deepen its relationship with the company.
The stake, which is less than 10 per cent, values Centra at just over half a billion Swedish kronor, according to Di Digital.
H&M will invest SEK 50m (£3.9m) in the company, which supports retail brands who want to sell directly to consumers.
The Sweden-listed retail giant already operates a number of its brands, including Cos, Arket, & Other Stories and Weekday, on Centra’s platform.
Founded in 2016, Centra has grown to support over 300 brands across Europe, North America and Asia. Recent additions include John Smedley, Osprey London, Fond Of, and MP Denmark.
“[Centra’s] ability to combine deep industry insights with technical innovation is helping fashion brands solve real challenges in e-commerce,” Nanna Andersen, chief of ventures at H&M Group, said.
“We’re proud to… support Centra’s continued growth and the next phase of their exciting journey ahead,” Andersen added.
Centra will remain “fully independent” under the terms of the deal, with H&M’s investment used to “enhance [its] ability to innovate”.
“Our approach is different from the rest of the market – we focus on providing fashion-specific solutions that help brands scale and innovate in ways others can’t,” CEO of Centra, Martin Jensen, said.
“The results we’ve seen with H&M’s portfolio brands show how effective this approach is, and the investment from H&M Group is a strong vote of confidence in the value we’ve built together.”
In the first quarter of 2025, H&M reported a three per cent increase in sales to SEK 55.33bn (£4.3bn).
H&M’s share price has fallen by 7.39 per cent in the year to date and more than 26 per cent since last June, when it was valued at a four-year high of SEK 194.
Morning Wire has contacted Centra for comment.