Acorn Enters Agreement to Sell 33% Equity Interests of its CPS Stock Tracking Software Business
24 Junio 2009 - 7:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
-- Sale Reinforces Core Competency and Enhances Operating
Efficiency SHANGHAI, June 24 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- Acorn
International, Inc. (NYSE:ATV) ("Acorn" or the "Company"), a
leading integrated multi-platform marketing company in China
engaged in developing, promoting and selling consumer products and
services, announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell
33% equity interests of Shanghai Yimeng Software Technology Co.,
Ltd. ("Yimeng"), a company engaged in the development and marketing
of CPS stock tracking software, to Mr. Zeng Shan, the CEO of
Yimeng. In accordance with the terms of a share purchase agreement
approved by Acorn's board of directors, Acorn will receive
approximately $7.5 million in dividends and $15.5 million for sale
of 33% equity interests of Yimeng, which is valued, post-dividend,
at approximately $47.0 million. The Company will continue to hold
18% equity interests of Yimeng after the sale as part of Acorn's
long- term investments. The CPS stock tracking software provides
stock trading analysis to retail investors in China. The Company
originally acquired 51% equity interests of Yimeng for a cash
consideration of approximately $160,000 in December 2005.
"Divesting part of our CPS investment represents an important step
towards focusing on our core competency in the online and offline
marketing and distributional synergy. The banning of TV
advertisements for stock tracking software products significantly
impaired CPS' ability to fully capitalize on Acorn's dual platform
marketing and distribution benefit," said James Hu, Chairman and
CEO of Acorn. "We believe that the partial divestiture of CPS on
favorable financial terms will further strengthen our balance sheet
and provide the capital to fund our future strategic business
objectives and operations. Furthermore, we believe that a sharper
strategic focus can further improve operating efficiency and
accelerate our timeline for a faster and stronger recovery in
2009." About Acorn Acorn is a leading integrated multi-platform
marketing company in China, operating one of China's largest TV
direct sales businesses in terms of revenues and TV air time and a
nationwide off-TV distribution network. Acorn's TV direct sales
platform consists of airtime purchased from both national and local
channels. In addition to marketing and selling through its TV
direct sales programs and its off-TV nationwide distribution
network, Acorn also offers consumer products and services through
catalogs, third-party bank channels, outbound telemarketing center
and an ecommerce website. Leveraging its integrated multiple sales
and marketing platforms, Acorn has built a proven track record of
developing and selling proprietary-branded consumer products, as
well as products and services from established third parties. For
more information, please visit http://www.chinadrtv.com/ .
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press
release contains "forward-looking statements," including, among
other things, the benefits of Acorn's sale of its 33% equity
interests in Yimeng, the ability of Acorn to strengthen its balance
sheet and fund future strategic business objectives following its
sale of 33% equity interests of Yimeng and Acorn's ability to
improve operating efficiency and recover from the effects of the
global economic crisis during fiscal year 2009. These
forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead
represent only our belief regarding future events, many of which,
by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of our
control. Our actual results and financial condition and other
circumstances may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated
results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking
statements. In particular, our operating results for any period are
impacted significantly by the mix of products and services sold by
us in the period and the platforms through which they are sold,
causing our operating results to fluctuate and making them
difficult to predict. Other factors that could cause
forward-looking statements to differ materially from actual future
events or results include risks and uncertainties related to: our
ability to effectively sell our 33% equity interests in Yimeng on
time or at all; our ability to successfully capitalize on our sale
of 33% equity interests of Yimeng, our ability to offset declines
in sales of existing products and services; our ability to stay
abreast of consumer market trends and maintain our reputation and
consumer confidence; continued access to and effective usage of TV
advertising time and pricing related risks; relevant government
policies and regulations relating to TV media time and TV direct
sales programs, including actions that may make TV media time
unavailable to us or require we suspend or terminate a particular
TV direct sales program; our reliance on and ability to effectively
manage our nationwide distribution network; potential unauthorized
use of our intellectual property; potential disruption of our
manufacturing process; increasing competition in China's consumer
market; our U.S. tax status as a passive foreign investment
company; and general economic and business conditions in China. Any
financial information contained in this release should be read in
conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes
thereto included in our 2008 annual report on Form 20-F filed with
Securities and Exchange Commission on April 24, 2009. For a
discussion of other important factors that could adversely affect
our business, financial condition, results of operations and
prospects, see "Risk Factors" beginning on page 6 of our Form 20-F
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Any projections in
this release are based on limited information currently available
to us, which is subject to change. Although such projections and
the factors influencing them will likely change, we will not
necessarily update the information. Such information speaks only as
of the date of this release. For more information, please contact:
Acorn International Chen Fu, Director of Investor Relations Tel:
+86-21-5151-8888 x2228 Email: PRChina Jane Liu Tel: +852-2522-1838
Email: Henry Chik Tel: +852-2522-1368 Email: DATASOURCE: Acorn
International, Inc. CONTACT: Chen Fu, Director of Investor
Relations of Acorn International, +86-21-5151-8888 x2228, or ; Or
PRChina - Jane Liu, +852-2522-1838, or ; Or Henry Chik,
+852-2522-1368, or Web site: http://www.chinadrtv.com/
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