ASOS

ASOS in brief

• Rank: #94 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #12 of 12 in Technology & Digital.
• WCRC Power Score: 60.48 out of 100.
• Founded: 2000, by Nick Robertson and Quentin Griffiths.
• Owner: ASOS plc, London, England.
• Leadership: José Antonio Ramos Calamonte, Chief Executive Officer.
• Latest revenue: £2.2bn revenue (FY2026, 52 weeks to 30 Aug 2026, -9.0%), group revenue of ASOS plc, as per company filings.

What makes ASOS powerful

ASOS was one of the UK's great e-commerce stories. Started in 2000 by Nick Robertson and Quentin Griffiths as As Seen On Screen, it grew into a global destination for young fashion buyers, combining own brands such as ASOS Design with thousands of other labels. Its brand still carries weight with Gen Z and millennial shoppers in Britain, Europe and the US.

Its current power lies in a sharper, more profitable model. After years of losses, management has cut stock, closed warehouses and focused on full-price sales. In the 52 weeks to 30 August 2026 adjusted EBITDA rose 29% to 170.3 million pounds and the company made a pre-tax profit of 24.4 million pounds, against a loss of 281.6 million pounds the year before. It also returned to growth in gross merchandise value in the final quarter.

ASOS swung to a pre-tax profit of 24.4 million pounds in its 2026 financial year, from a loss of 281.6 million pounds the year before.

Why ASOS ranks #94

ASOS ranks 94th with a WCRC Power Score of 60.48, between Reiss above and Colman's below. Positioning and recall (64) is its strongest pillar, as a well-known destination for young online shoppers, and Product and innovation (62) is steady. Trust (58), Sustainability and governance (58) and Digital and financial (58) hold it back, reflecting years of losses and shrinking sales, although it returned to a pre-tax profit of 24.4 million pounds in FY2026.

The Achilles' heel

ASOS has been shrinking to get healthier. Adjusted revenue fell 9% on a like-for-like basis to 2.24 billion pounds in FY2026, and it faces brutal competition from ultra-cheap Shein and Temu, resale platforms such as Vinted, and big European marketplaces. Debt and dependence on a large shareholder add uncertainty, and it has yet to show sustained sales growth.

The 2026 story

ASOS's FY2026 results in November 2026 marked a turnaround. Adjusted revenue fell 9% like-for-like to 2.24 billion pounds, but adjusted EBITDA rose 29% to 170.3 million pounds and the company swung to a pre-tax profit of 24.4 million pounds from a loss of 281.6 million pounds. In September it had said gross merchandise value returned to growth in the fourth quarter and that EBITDA would beat guidance.

Pillar profile

Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Technology & Digital brands
• Most powerful brands in England

Key facts

Sources

• Revenue figure published by ASOS plc
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data