Chinese search engine giant Baidu plans to buy the entire share capital of NetDragon Websoft’s subsidiary 91 Wireless for $1.9bn, making it the biggest acquisition deal in China’s internet industry if it succeeds.
中国搜索引擎巨擘百度计划以19亿美元收购网龙公司(NetDragon Websoft)的子公司91无线(91 Wireless)。若交易成功，这将成为中国互联网业最大一笔收购交易。
NetDragon, an online game development and mobile internet business based in Fujian province, said yesterday Baidu had agreed to buy its 57.41 per cent stake in 91 Wireless for $1.09bn. Baidu has offered to buy out the other shareholders on the same terms.
总部位于福建的网络游戏开发和移动互联网公司网龙昨天表示，百度已同意以10.9亿美元收购91无线57.41%的股份。百度将按相同条款，向91无线其他股东购买全部股份。
91 Wireless is a leading mobile internet company in China. It developed and runs two major smart-phone app distribution platforms for iOS and Android systems on the websites Sj.91.com and apk.hiapk.com. Total downloads on the two platforms exceeded 12.9bn by the end of 2012, the company says.
91无线是中国领先的移动互联网公司。它在Sj.91.com和apk.hiapk.com网站上，为iPhone操作系统和Android操作系统开发和运行两大智能手机应用分发平台。该公司表示，到2012年底，这两个平台的总下载已经超过129亿次。
Baidu agreed to purchase the outstanding 42.59 per cent stake from 91 Wireless’s remaining shareholders on the same terms offered to NetDragon, taking the total price of the deal to $1.9bn – surpassing the $1bn Yahoo paid to acquire 40 per cent of online auction site Alibaba in 2005.
百度将按与网龙签署的相同条款，收购91无线剩余的42.59%股权，使得总收购价格达到19亿美元，超过2005年雅虎(Yahoo)10亿美元收购阿里巴巴(Alibaba)40%股份的交易。
Private equity fund IDG owns 10.39 per cent of the company; Singapore’s Temasek holds 5.71 per cent through Vertex; and Richard Li, chairman of PCCW and the younger son of Asia’s richest man, Li Ka-shing, has 4.14 per cent through Pacific Century. David Wei, former chief executive of Alibaba.com, is also a shareholder in 91 Wireless, according to the statement.
私募股权基金IDG拥有该公司10.39%的股份；新加坡淡马锡(Temasek)通过旗下祥峰集团(Vertex)持有5.71%的股份；香港电讯盈科(PCCW)董事长、亚洲首富李嘉诚(Li Ka-shing)的次子李泽楷(Richard Li)通过盈科拓展(Pacific Century)持有4.14%的股份。声明称，阿里巴巴前首席执行官卫哲(David Wei)也是91无线的股东。
Baidu’s purchase of 91 Wireless is a bold move by the group into mobile internet, an area considered more and more important as users shift from PCs to smartphones. The biggest Chinese e-commerce company, Alibaba, is also rapidly developing its mobile internet business.
百度收购91无线是该集团进入移动互联网的一个大胆举措。随着用户从个人电脑转向智能手机，移动互联网领域正被视为越来越重要。中国最大的电子商务公司阿里巴巴也在快速发展其移动互联网业务。
The acquisition follows Baidu’s purchase of PPS Net TV’s internet video business for $370m in May and online video site iQiyi.com last year.
在此之前，今年5月百度曾以3.7亿美元收购PPS网络电视互联网视频业务，去年收购了在线视频网站iQiyi.com。
NetDragon said the disposal of 91 Wireless would enhance its earnings and broaden its capital base. But its shares dropped nearly 18 per cent to HK$19.88 in morning trading, as 91 Wireless is seen as part of its core business.
网龙表示，出售91无线将增强其盈利，拓宽其资本基础。但在早盘交易中，网龙股价下跌到19.88港元，跌幅近18%，因为91无线被认为是其核心业务之一。