Barclay brothers said to consider sale of Shop Direct stake

The owners of Shop Direct, who also own the Telegraph Media Group, are reportedly looking into the sale of a stake in the online retailer.

According to Sky News, brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay are considering a range of options which could lead to them realising a significant cash gain from the company, which previously traded under the Littlewoods brand.

The Barclay Brothers – who also own London’s Ritz hotel – were said to be working with Goldman Sachs and HSBC on the review of alternatives.

Sky’s sources said it was highly unlikely that Barclays would want to sell more than a minority stake in Shop Direct and warned that they might decide to hold onto the whole business.

"It's the sort of thing they look at from time to time," one insider said.

Sources also told Sky that Shop Direct's owners had been considering whether to float a stake in Very.co.uk, which is the group’s largest individual brand.