M&S Profit Nearly Wiped Out After £136m Cyber Attack. Marks & Spencer revealed that a major cyber attack earlier this year has cost the company around £136 million in immediate response, recovery, and legal services. The attack, which disrupted online systems from Easter through summer, caused a steep decline in profits and sales across the business. Statutory profit before tax plummeted from £391.9 million last year to just £3.4 million — nearly wiping out M&S’s first-half earnings. The retailer said it expects to claim back about £100 million in insurance related to the incident. Using adjusted profit before tax, M&S reported £184 million — more than 50% lower than the £413 million earned a year earlier. The cyber attack was traced to ransomware hackers who gained access through a third-party contractor by deceiving its employees. Online shopping was unavailable for weeks after the April breach, and some store shelves were left empty due to system disruptions. The attack on M&S is part of a wider wave of ransomware incidents that also hit the Co-Op, Jaguar Land Rover, and Harrods. [Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT]