BEIJING, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc.
(NASDAQ: BIDU) ("Baidu" or the "Company"), a leading search engine,
knowledge and information centered Internet platform and AI
company, today announced that its Smart Living Group ("SLG") has
entered into definitive agreements with CPE, Baidu Capital and IDG
Capital for Series A financing at a post-money valuation of
approximately RMB 20 billion, or
$2.9 billion,
("Transaction"). SLG operates
DuerOS voice assistant and DuerOS-powered smart devices.
The Transaction is subject to certain closing conditions and is
expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2020. Upon the
completion of the Transaction, Baidu will hold super voting rights
in SLG and is expected to continue to consolidate the financial
results of SLG, as a majority shareholder.
"We are pleased to see the rapid growth of SLG since inception
in 2017, to become a leading player in China (and globally) in the fast growing voice
assistant and smart devices market by leveraging Baidu's AI
capabilities, " said Robin Li,
Chairman and CEO of Baidu. "This transaction marks another
milestone for Baidu to incubate new businesses with its leading
technologies and strong synergies from Baidu Core, to capture large
market opportunities. "
About Baidu
Baidu, Inc. is a leading search engine, knowledge and
information centered Internet platform and AI company. The
Company's mission is to make a complicated world simpler through
technology. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market
under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one
Class A ordinary share.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These
statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S.
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as
"will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Baidu
may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its
periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in
its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other
written materials and in oral statements made by its officers,
directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not
historical facts, including but not limited to statements about
Baidu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statement, including but not limited to the following: Baidu's
growth strategies; its future business development, including
development of new products and services; its ability to attract
and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese Internet
search and newsfeed market; competition for online marketing
customers; changes in the Company's revenues and certain cost or
expense items as a percentage of its revenues; the outcome of
ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those
relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of
the Chinese-language Internet search and newsfeed market and the
number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating
to the Internet and Internet search providers, and general economic
conditions in China and elsewhere.
Further information regarding these and other risks is included in
the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Baidu does not
undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
except as required under applicable law. All information provided
in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of
the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such
information, except as required under applicable law.
Contacts
Investors Relations, Baidu, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-5992-8888
Email: ir@baidu.com
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidu-enters-into-definitive-agreements-to-raise-financing-for-its-smart-living-business-301141522.html
SOURCE Baidu, Inc.