 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Public limited company |
| LSE: IDS | |
| Industry |
|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Headquarters | London, England |
Key people |
|
| Revenue |  £12,679 million(2024)[2] |
| £26 million (2024)[2] | |
| £54 million (2024)[2] | |
Number of employees | 152,792 (2023)[3] |
| Divisions |
|
| Website | internationaldistributionsservices |
International Distributions Services plc (formerly Royal Mail Limited and Royal Mail plc) is a British company providing postal and courier services. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.[4]
The company was established in September 2013, in anticipation of its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in October 2013.[5] In July 2022, it was announced that the holding company responsible for both Royal Mail and GLS would change its name to International Distributions Services. The name change was filed with Companies House on 28 September 2022 and registered on 3 October.[6]
On 31 October 2022, the Secretary of State for Business, Kwasi Kwarteng, approved a proposal from a Czech billionaire, Daniel Křetínský, to increase the shareholding of Vesa Equity Investment Sarl (a company which Křetínský controls) in International Distributions Services to more than 25%.[7]
In 2024, International Distributions Services entered into a multi-year agreement with PayPoint PLC whereby IDS customers will be able to receive parcels to 5,000 Collect+ shops in various locations across the UK, as well as accessing a range of services through PayPoint's retail partners.[8]
In April 2024, EP Group (another company controlled by Daniel Křetínský) offered to buy the 72.5% shareholding in the company that Vesa Equity Investment Sarl does not already own.[9]
On 28 May 2024, the board of International Distribution Services agreed to a £5bn takeover offer from Daniel Křetínský. The offer included commitments to retain the Royal Mail name, brand, UK headquarters, and employee benefits, while being subject to scrutiny under the National Security and Investment Act. The deal will be voted on by shareholders at IDS's annual general meeting in September, with potential government intervention due to national security concerns.[10]
The main business segments are: UK Parcels, International, and Letters (UKPIL), General Logistics Systems (GLS) and Group. UKPIL includes the parcel and letter delivery divisions (Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide brands) in the UK and overseas, while GLS operates a ground parcel delivery network in Europe, the western US and Canada.[11]
