Who owns Frasers? The group, the shareholder and the CEO
Frasers, the department-store brand associated with House of Fraser, belongs to Frasers Group. Frasers Group PLC is a listed company with outside shareholders, controlled by Mike Ashley through the MASH companies. Michael Murray is its chief executive. Running the group and controlling its shares are different roles.
Checked 5 October 2026.
The ownership trail
| Company or brand | Control | What the record says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frasers / House of Fraser | Frasers Group retail business | The retailer’s site names House of Fraser Limited trading as Frasers. The store brand and the listed parent are different legal labels. | Retailer’s company information |
| Frasers Group PLC · 06035106 | Mike Ashley is the controlling party | Note 36 of the 2026 annual report traces control through Mash Holdings Topco Limited, MASH Beta Limited and MASH Holdings Limited. | 2026 annual report, note 36 |
| Mash Holdings Topco Limited | 100% owned by Mike Ashley | The report says Topco owns MASH Beta and MASH Holdings. This 100% refers to Topco, not to every share in Frasers Group PLC. | 2026 annual report, note 36 |
| MASH Beta / MASH Holdings | 303,507,460 / 26,561,540 shares | Share counts stated at the 26 April 2026 period end. These are dated holdings, not a live October share register. | Period-end holdings |
Why a single percentage can mislead
The 2026 report’s substantial-shareholder table gives 73.0% for Mike Ashley, using the last notified percentage-change figures from 26 March 2024. Its period-end control note reports the same two share counts with different percentage denominators. Buybacks and treasury shares can change a percentage even when that shareholder’s number of shares does not change.
The useful answer is therefore that Ashley controls the group, with the date and source attached. We do not present 73.0% as his verified holding on 5 October 2026, and we do not describe the listed company as wholly owned by him.
Michael Murray runs it; Mike Ashley controls it
Frasers Group identifies Michael Murray as chief executive officer. That is a management appointment. The ownership answer comes from the control note in the accounts, rather than from whoever appears in a profile of the CEO.
Why the Companies House PSC page is empty
Frasers Group’s Companies House record says it is exempt from maintaining PSC information because its voting shares trade on a UK regulated market. An unavailable PSC list does not establish that nobody controls the company. For this listed business, the annual report supplies the control evidence.
The registered company was previously Sports Direct International PLC. Frasers Group is the parent-company name; Frasers is also a retail brand. This page answers both meanings without treating a brand sign as a separate independent owner.
Questions
Does Mike Ashley own Frasers?
He controls Frasers Group through the MASH companies, according to the 2026 annual report. The listed group also has other shareholders; it is not 100% owned by him.
Is Michael Murray the owner of Frasers?
Michael Murray is the chief executive. The report identifies Mike Ashley as the controlling party. A CEO title alone does not establish ownership.
Is Frasers the same as House of Fraser?
The retailer’s site names House of Fraser Limited trading as Frasers. Frasers Group PLC is the listed parent, a different legal company from the retail label.
Company records tell you who controls a business; the shopfront name alone cannot. Search another owner.
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These are dated public-record checks. Shareholdings and corporate structures can change. Send a correction with its source.