Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer in brief

• Rank: #20 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #2 of 13 in Retail & E-Commerce.
• WCRC Power Score: 67.96 out of 100.
• Founded: 1884, by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer.
• Owner: Marks and Spencer Group plc, London, England.
• Leadership: Stuart Machin, Chief Executive.
• Latest revenue: £17.4bn revenue (FY2026, year to Mar 2026, +24.8%), group revenue of Marks and Spencer Group plc (includes Ocado Retail; excluding Ocado sales up 1.9% to £14,178.1m), as per company filings.

What makes Marks & Spencer powerful

Marks & Spencer has rebuilt itself into one of the UK's most trusted retail brands. Its food halls are the engine: in the year to March 2026 food sales rose 7.0% and market share reached 4.1%, as shoppers paid for quality, ready meals and seasonal ranges they see as treats rather than staples.

The brand's resilience showed after the April 2025 cyber attack that paused online orders for weeks. Despite incident costs of £131.3 million, M&S still produced adjusted profit before tax of £671.4 million, and second-half adjusted profit grew 4.1%. Under Stuart Machin, the business has modernised stores, rebuilt supply chains and restored its standing in fashion, while its stake in Ocado Retail gives it a large online grocery channel. Few UK retailers combine its heritage with the current momentum in food.

M&S Food sales rose 7.0% in 2025/26, lifting its grocery market share to 4.1%.

Why Marks & Spencer ranks #20

Marks & Spencer ranks 20th with a WCRC Power Score of 67.96, between Durex above and John Lewis below. Positioning and recall (72) and trust (72) are its strongest pillars, reflecting a food business that keeps gaining share and a name long associated with quality. Sustainability and governance (68) is solid, but product and innovation (62) and digital and financial strength (58) hold it back after the 2025 cyber attack exposed weak systems.

The Achilles' heel

The 2025 cyber attack showed how fragile M&S's digital operations were. Fashion, Home and Beauty sales fell 7.7% and adjusted operating profit dropped from £478.0 million to £213.4 million as it cleared excess stock. Rising fuel, freight, input costs and tax levies now threaten margins just as it tries to restore profit growth.

The 2026 story

M&S reported full-year results on 20 May 2026. Group revenue, including Ocado Retail, rose 24.8% to £17.4 billion; excluding Ocado, sales grew 1.9%. Statutory profit before tax fell 28.8% to £364.6 million and adjusted profit before tax fell 23.8% to £671.4 million, reflecting the 2025 cyber attack. Adjusting items included £131.3 million of incident costs, offset by £100 million of insurance proceeds. Stuart Machin said profit growth is expected to resume against 2024/25.

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 Retail & E-Commerce brands
• UK's 50 Most Valuable Brands
• Biggest British Brands by Revenue
• Iconic British Heritage Brands
• British Global Powerhouses
• Most Famous British Brands
• UK's Most Trusted Brands
• Fastest-Growing British Brands
• Most powerful brands in England

Key facts

Sources

• Revenue figure published by Marks and Spencer Group 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