BRISCOE GROUP LIMITED
My company is Briscoe Group Limited, a holding company that operates approximately 80 stores throughout New Zealand within two retail sectors, homeware and sporting goods, under the three brand names Briscoes Homeware, Living & Giving and Rebel Sport, which together generated sales revenue in the Group’s latest financial year in excess of $452 million.
Briscoe Group Limited is currently spearheaded by Group Managing Director, Deputy Chairman and majority shareholder, Rodney Adrian Duke, an Australian retail entrepreneur Rod Duke who took over the running of the business in 1988 with a mandate of returning the company to profitability and preparing it for sale. However, Duke saw the potential of the business and in January 1990, Rod reached agreement for the RA Duke Trust to purchase 100% of the shares of Briscoes. Since then, the group has expanded to include the new homeware chain Living and Giving and then In 1996 established, and in subsequent years expanded, the Rebel Sport chain of sporting goods stores in New Zealand.
Briscoes Homeware is the flagship operation within the Briscoe Group, it began life as a hardware retailer supplying prospectors during the gold rush with shovels, picks, tents and lanterns in the early 1860s. Over the 150 years since the business began trading in Dunedin, Briscoes has become an iconic New Zealand brand for quality branded homeware. With 41 stores nationwide and an online store, Briscoes Homeware supplies quality and competitively priced homeware to the New Zealand market.
To celebrate 150 years trading, Briscoes have released a book by reknown New Zealand historian Ian Hunter documenting the historical journey of the iconic retail store.
Living and Giving is the newest homeware retailer within the Briscoe Group offering customers the latest in style, whether it is for themselves, for their homes or for others as gifts. Products are sourced from around the world as well as from New Zealand-based suppliers to provide a wonderful mix for casual yet sophisticated living that is both fashionable and affordable. Living & Giving has seven stores in Auckland, Wellington, Lower Hutt, Nelson and Christchurch and an online store.
Rebel Sport opened its first store in Panmure, Auckland in 1996 and has grown to become the major sporting goods retailer in New Zealand. The concept is to provide sports superstores where shoppers can choose from a huge range of the biggest and best brands in the world. Rebel Sport now has 32 stores in selected cities and an online store.
In total, the Briscoe Group Limited employs approximately 1800 people in their head office in Auckland and throughout their retail stores.
The Briscoe Group Limited is listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSX) under company code “BGR”.
New Zealand Stock Exchange
The 215 million shares that the company has on issue are owned by majority shareholder the RA Duke Trust, an associated party of Group Managing Director and Deputy Chairman Rod Duke, and approximately 3,300 other shareholders. Through 2013 the shares have traded at prices of $2.30 to $2.50 per share, equating to a market capitalisation for the company of $500 million to $540 million, respectively.
