NOT
FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY,
IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO
SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS
OF THAT JURISDICTION.
THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.8 OF THE CITY
CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE")
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE
INFORMATION
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15
MARCH 2024
STATEMENT FROM JD.COM
("JD.COM")
STATEMENT OF INTENTION NOT TO
MAKE AN OFFER FOR CURRYS PLC ("CURRYS")
Further to the announcement on 19
February 2024 that JD.com was in the very preliminary stages of
evaluating a possible transaction that may include a cash offer for
the entire issued share capital of Currys, JD.com today confirms
that, following careful consideration, it does not intend to make
an offer for Currys.
This is a statement to which Rule
2.8 of the Code applies.
For the purposes of Note 2 on Rule
2.8 of the Code, JD.com and any person(s) acting in concert with it
reserve the right to make or participate in an offer for Currys
(and/or take any other actions which would otherwise be restricted
under Rule 2.8 of the Code) within the next six months following
the date of this announcement:
(i) with the
agreement of Currys' Board;
(ii) following the
announcement of a firm intention to make an offer for Currys by or
on behalf of a third party;
(iii) following the
announcement by Currys of a Rule 9 waiver proposal (as described in
Note 1 of the Notes on Dispensations from Rule 9 of the Code) or a
reverse takeover (as defined in the Code); or
(iv) where the Takeover
Panel has determined that there has been a material change of
circumstances.
Enquiries:
Goldman Sachs
International
Tel: +4420 7774 1000
Andre Kelleners
Milan Hasecic
Chris Emmerson
Important notices
This announcement is not intended to
and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an
offer to subscribe for or sell or an invitation to purchase or
subscribe for any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any
jurisdiction.
The release, publication or
distribution of this announcement in whole or in part in, into or
from certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore
persons in such jurisdictions should inform themselves about and
observe such restrictions.
Goldman Sachs International, which
is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated
by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation
Authority in the UK, is acting exclusively for JD.com and no one
else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement
and will not be responsible to anyone other than JD.com for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Goldman Sachs
International or for providing advice in connection with the
matters referred to in this announcement.
