(Reuters) – Poland’s two largest fashion retailers, LPP and CCC, are suspending all business in Ukraine, company officials said on Thursday, after Russia’s attack on its neighbour sent their shares plummeting.
Two of the most rapidly growing apparel companies in the region, LPP and CCC manage multiple fashion brands, including Reserved, HalfPrice, eobuwie.pl, Modivo and Sinsay.
LPP shares were down 23% at 1230 GMT making them the worst performer on Poland’s blue chip index. CCC shares were down 13%.
LPP moved its administration offices from Kyiv to Lviv amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, company’s PR manager Monika Wszeborowska told Reuters.
Both retailers suspended all trading in Ukraine and said their stores would remain closed and all shipping to Ukraine was halted.
LPP’s press office said its priority was the safety of personnel.
“The situation is developing, which is why we are closely following all reports from the eastern border, including information from our office in Ukraine and we are acting on it,” said Wszeborowska.
“One thing is sure, our plans this year to develop our network in Ukraine are now cancelled,” Wszeborowska said.
Ukraine and Russia were one of the largest foreign sales performance drivers for LPP in the third quarter, its financial statement showed.
In emailed statement, CCC’s representative said Ukraine and Russia constitute about 3% of CCC’s business and about 1% of the whole group’s operations.
(Reporting by Patrycja Zaras and Adrianna Ebert; editing by Jason Neely)
