Shoppers Stop IPO Details

Incorporated in 1997, Shoppers' Stop Limited is one of India's leading department store chains and a part of the K. Raheja Corp Group (Chandru L. Raheja Group), one of the country's leading business houses with interests in real estate development and hotels.
The company operates large format department stores across India under the brand name 'Shoppers Stop', retailing a wide range of lifestyle merchandise including branded and private label apparel, footwear, perfumes, cosmetics, jewellery, leather products, accessories, home products, electronics, books, music and toys. Its private label portfolio includes brands such as STOP, Kashish, LIFE and Vettorio Fratini. The company also holds an exclusive licence for Austin Reed (London) for men's outerwear in India.
Its business model is built around providing customers a unique, internationally benchmarked shopping experience, complemented by services such as cafes, salons, personal care and beauty services provided through partners like Habibs and L'Oreal. The company follows a long-term lease model for its store properties, operating as an anchor tenant in most malls.
As of April 2005, Shoppers' Stop operates 17 stores across Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Jaipur and Gurgaon, covering an aggregate retail area of approximately 797,463 sq. ft. The company has contractual arrangements for 13 additional store sites and plans to open 10 more stores by FY 2007. It also holds a 51% stake in Crossword Bookstores Limited, a leading books and music retail chain with 22 stores across India.
The company's customer loyalty programme, First Citizen Club, had over 410,673 members as of March 2005, contributing to approximately half of its retail sales. As of March 2005, the company had 1,835 employees, supported by 129 employees across its subsidiaries.
Key strengths include an experienced professional management team, extensive use of IT systems including JDA ERP, a strong distribution and logistics network with four distribution centers covering 82,000 sq. ft., a vast merchandise range of over 260,000 SKUs, and membership in the Intercontinental Group of Departmental Stores (IGDS) — the only Indian retailer in this global association of leading department stores including Marks & Spencer, Selfridges and Marshall Field's. The company has been awarded 'Superbrand' status for 2003 and 2004, and has received multiple industry awards including Most Admired Retailer of the Year and Best IT Practice in Retail Category by NASSCOM.