EQS-News: ABOUT YOU Holding SE
/ Key word(s): Statement
PRESS RELEASE ABOUT YOU'S MANAGEMENT BOARD AND SUPERVISORY BOARD
Hamburg | January 31, 2025 – The Management Board and Supervisory Board of ABOUT YOU Holding SE today issued their joint reasoned statement pursuant to Section 27 of the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (WpÜG) regarding the voluntary public takeover offer made by Zalando SE on January 20, 2025, for ABOUT YOU shares. After a thorough review of the offer document, the Management Board and Supervisory Board expressly support the takeover offer. Both boards are convinced that the business combination of ABOUT YOU and Zalando offers significant value creation potential. They unanimously support the creation of a combined Group that, as a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce, will generate substantial synergies and will have an attractive long-term financial profile. Thus, the Management Board and Supervisory Board recommend that ABOUT YOU's shareholders accept the current takeover offer. “After careful review by the Management Board and Supervisory Board, we are confident that the offer is in the best interest of ABOUT YOU, our shareholders, employees, and partners,” says Tarek Müller, the ABOUT YOU Group's Co-Founder and Co-CEO. “Besides a similar corporate culture, ABOUT YOU and Zalando share a drive to rethink fashion shopping and create the best possible experience for customers. Teaming up brings something unique: two separately operated brands in B2C, each tailored to the needs of its customers, while leveraging our strengths to create a powerful B2B platform.” KEY ASPECTS OF THE REASONED STATEMENT Both companies intend to bring together their capabilities and expertise to form a combined Group, enabling them to obtain a larger share in the European fashion market and accelerate progress toward a more sustainable future for the business and the industry. For the business-to-business operations, the Management Board and Supervisory Board are positive about the integration of the complementary B2B services of both companies to build a holistic e-commerce operating system. SCAYLE, one of the world's fastest-growing enterprise commerce platforms, is set to be integrated into Zalando 's B2B segment, and will significantly strengthen the joint offering for enterprise customers. The boards expressly support the planned dual-brand strategy for the business-to-consumer business. ABOUT YOU and Zalando will retain their distinct brand identities and operate their online fashion stores largely independently. Selected capabilities will be combined to unlock synergies. ABOUT YOU will continue to be Europe's most personalized online fashion store for its more than 12 million style-led customers, offering an inspiring assortment of over 700,000 items. The Management Board and Supervisory Board approve that ABOUT YOU’s current Management Board team should continue in their roles after the transaction is completed. With this partnership, two founder-led companies come together, built on a complementary culture and capabilities. ABOUT YOU and Zalando agree that their similar corporate cultures and shared values form the foundation for the combined Group's past and future success. FAIR OFFER PRICE OF EUR 6.50 PER SHARE Against this background, the boards regard the offer price of EUR 6.50 per share as fair and appropriate from a financial perspective. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD UNTIL FEBRUARY 17, 2025 The takeover offer is not subject to a minimum acceptance threshold and is subject to customary closing conditions including antitrust approvals. The transaction is currently expected to close in summer 2025. Further details are outlined in the joint reasoned statement of ABOUT YOU's Management Board and Supervisory Board. This document, along with a non-binding English translation, is available on ABOUT YOU’s Investor Relations website. ABOUT YOU GROUP For further information, please visit: corporate.aboutyou.de/en. MEDIA CONTACT INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT DISCLAIMER Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" that involve several risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable using the words "may", "will", "should", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "project", "goal", or "target" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, forecasts, estimates, projections, opinions, or plans that are inherently subject to significant risks, as well as uncertainties and contingencies that are subject to change. No representation is made or will be made by ABOUT YOU Holding SE that any forward-looking statement will be achieved or will prove to be correct. The actual future business, financial position, results of operations, and prospects may differ materially from those projected or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. Neither ABOUT YOU Holding SE nor any of their respective affiliates assume any obligation to update, and do not expect to publicly update, or publicly revise any forward-looking statements or other information contained in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
31.01.2025 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. |
Language: | English |
Company: | ABOUT YOU Holding SE |
Domstraße 10 | |
20095 Hamburg | |
Germany | |
Phone: | +49 40 638 569 – 0 |
E-mail: | info@aboutyou.de |
Internet: | https://corporate.aboutyou.de |
ISIN: | DE000A3CNK42 |
WKN: | A3CNK4 |
Indices: | SDAX |
Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange |
EQS News ID: | 2078497 |
End of News | EQS News Service |