Giant Chinese e-commerce corporation eyes acquisition of Mediamarkt and Saturn, causing stock prices to surge
In a significant development, Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is reportedly in advanced negotiations to acquire Ceconomy, the parent company of Europe's leading electronics retailers MediaMarkt and Saturn. According to Ceconomy's confirmation on July 24, 2025, these talks involve a potential cash offer of 4.60 euros per ordinary share, valuing Ceconomy at approximately 2.23 billion euros ($2.63 billion), although some reports suggest a potential value of around 2.2 billion euros depending on the exact terms.
The discussions are not yet binding, and the success of these talks hinges on the approval of major shareholders, including the Haniel, Beisheim, and Schmidt-Ruthenbeck families, as well as the descendants of MediaMarkt founder Erich Kellerhals.
Ceconomy's shares responded positively to the news, rising by about 12% following the announcement. Kai-Ulrich Deissner is currently acting as the interim CEO of Ceconomy.
JD.com, with its integrated model similar to Amazon, is particularly interested in Ceconomy's stationary sales and logistics network. Ceconomy operates more than 1000 stores across Europe and generated a record annual turnover of 22.4 billion euros in its latest financial year.
This potential acquisition would mark JD.com's second attempt at acquiring a similar retail chain, following its interest in the British retail chain Currys. The Chinese e-commerce company operates an integrated model, where it buys goods, stores them, and delivers them directly via its own logistics network. Unlike Alibaba, JD.com does not rely on third-party sellers for its operations.
The Kellerhals family, the main shareholder of Ceconomy, holding nearly 30% of the shares, will play a crucial role in the outcome of these talks. Since the beginning of the year, the Ceconomy stock has gained 60% in value.
It is important to note that no legally binding agreements have been signed yet, and the future of this potential acquisition remains uncertain. The news of the takeover talks has not yet resulted in a binding agreement, and both parties will need to navigate the complexities of international business deals and the approval of major shareholders to finalise the deal.
The potential acquisition of Ceconomy by JD.com, if successful, could significantly expand JD.com's operations in the finance and business sectors, particularly its stationary sales and logistics network in the European industry. The outcome of these talks hangs on the approval of major shareholders, including the Kellerhals family who hold nearly 30% of the shares, as well as the navigation of complexities in international business deals.
