Bundeskartellamt approves JD.com stake in CECONOMY

The German Federal Cartel Office has approved the planned entry of Chinese e‑commerce giant JD.com into CECONOMY AG, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn. JD.com acquired roughly a 32% stake and is pursuing a voluntary public takeover offer valuing CECONOMY at around €2.2 billion.

Key points

• Stake: ~32% acquired by JD.com.
• Valuation & offer: Offer price reported at €4.60 per share (about a 23% premium).
• Regulatory: Bundeskartellamt cleared the transaction, finding no relevant overlaps in the German market.
• Commitments: JD.com and CECONOMY pledged no layoffs, no store closures and to keep current management/organization for at least five years.
• Strategic aim: JD.com plans to use its technology and logistics expertise to accelerate CECONOMY’s development as a pan‑European omnichannel electronics retailer.

Sources: Official CECONOMY press release: CECONOMY press release (PDF). Additional coverage available from RetailDetail.

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