H&M

Founded by Erling Persson in 1947 in Västerås as a women’s clothing store named Hennes (“Hers”), the chain became H&M after acquiring hunting-and-fishing retailer Mauritz Widforss in 1968, expanding the assortment to include menswear. H&M built its global expansion through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s into one of the largest fast-fashion chains globally before facing significant competitive pressure from Inditex’s Zara and the broader Shein-driven price-and-trend compression of the 2020s. The group reported total net sales of approximately SEK 234 billion (around €20.5 billion) in fiscal year 2024 (ended November 30, 2024), with continued strategic emphasis on margin recovery and digital integration following multi-year operational restructuring. The H&M Group banner portfolio includes the flagship H&M brand, COS, Weekday, & Other Stories, Monki, ARKET, and the H&M Home concept. The first H&M store in Brazil opened in São Paulo in August 2025, marking the brand’s entry into the largest Latin American market and the company’s 79th store-opening country.

H&M Group operates approximately 4,200 stores across more than 75 countries (expanding to 79 with the Brazil entry), with the flagship H&M banner representing the largest single banner at approximately 3,600 stores. The typical H&M store occupies 1,500 to 4,000 square meters in regional shopping centers and high-street locations, with the larger flagships integrating women’s, men’s, kids’, and H&M Home product under a single roof. For mall operators, H&M is a Class A and Class B+ specialty fashion anchor for regional and super-regional centers globally, typically positioned in primary mall anchor roles adjacent to Zara, Uniqlo, and other major fast-fashion banners. The continued international expansion and the launch of new banners under the H&M Group umbrella sustain the brand’s relevance as a multi-banner negotiating counterparty for landlords across global markets.