In a bold move signaling the next chapter in global retail, JD.com announced plans to acquire Ceconomy AG in a €2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) cash deal that will take the German electronics retailer private. The transaction, revealed late Wednesday, has secured the endorsement of Ceconomy’s board, anchor shareholders, and the retailer’s founding family.
Under the agreement, JD.com will pay €4.60 per share, representing a 23% premium over Ceconomy’s July 23 closing price of €3.69—just before market whispers of the takeover began to swirl.
A Strategic Alliance for European Retail
The Düsseldorf-headquartered Ceconomy operates across 11 countries, with flagship consumer electronics brands MediaMarkt and Saturn dominating the German market. JD.com, already a titan in e-commerce, said the acquisition would not only give it an expanded European foothold but also establish a partnership to bolster Ceconomy’s growth through technology and logistics support.
“Standing still is not an option,” said Kai-Ulrich Deissner, CEO of Ceconomy. “We don’t just want to keep pace with transformation in European retail—we want to continue leading it. JD.com is the right partner for this journey.”
