{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"142887","rtpr_id":"nGNEL1GCx-20260914","ticker":"FNAC","exchange":"Euronext Paris","all_tickers":["FNAC"],"title":"REG-Fnac Darty: Filing with the European Commission of the takeover bid initiated by EP Group for merger control purposes","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-09-14T15:45:00.073Z","article_body":"THE DISSEMINATION, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE, IN WHOLE\nOR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IS NOT AUTHORIZED IN THE UNITED STATES OF\nAMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY WHERE SUCH\nCOMMUNICATION WOULD VIOLATE APPLICABLE REGULATIONS\n\nIvry-sur-Seine – France, September 14, 2026, 5:45 PM CET\n\nFILING WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF\nTHE TAKEOVER BID INITIATED BY EP GROUP \nFOR MERGER CONTROL PURPOSES\n* Filing by EP FR HOLDCO of the formal notification with the European\nCommission\n* Merger control clearance expected by early November\n* Closing of the Offer expected by the end of 2026\nEP FR HOLDCO, a company controlled by EP Group and set up for the purposes of\nthe Offer, announced that it has today filed with the European Commission the\nformal notification under merger control of its proposed public tender offer\nfor the outstanding shares and OCEANEs of Fnac Darty (the “Offer”), in\naccordance with Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 (the “EU Merger Regulation”).\n\nProvided the European commission confirms that the notification file is\ncomplete as of the date of formal notification, the phase I review period is\nexpected to expire early November (at the latest), subject to suspension or\nextension in accordance with the provisions of the EU Merger Regulation.\n\nAs per the announcement issued by the French Financial markets authority\n(Autorité des marchés financiers, “AMF”) on May 11, 2026, the closing\ndate of the Offer will be set by the AMF after receipt of the European\nCommission’s clearance. The Offer is expected to close by the end of 2026.\nIf successful, the Offer should then be reopened for at least ten trading\ndays.\n\nTerms and conditions of the Offer\nThe Offer price is €35 per share following payment on June 5, 2026 of the\n€1.0 dividend for the 2025 financial year, and €81.16(1) per OCEANE.\n\nThe Offer was approved on May 7, 2026 by the AMF, which granted its visa on\nthe offer document of EP FR HOLDCO under number 26-128, and on Fnac Darty's\nresponse document under number 26-129.\n\nThe Board of Directors of Fnac Darty, on the recommendation of the Ad Hoc\nCommittee, has issued a favorable opinion on the Offer detailed in the\nresponse document of Fnac Darty.\n\nLedouble, acting as an independent expert, has issued a report stating that\nthe financial conditions of the Offer are fair for Fnac Darty's shareholders\nand OCEANE holders.\n\nThe documentation linked to the Offer is available on Fnac Darty's website in\nthe dedicated section\n(https://www.fnacdarty.com/en/group/investors/projet-doffre-publique-dachat-de-ep-group/)\nas well as on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org).\n\nDisclaimer\nThis press release has been prepared for informational purposes only. It does\nnot constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation for the sale of Fnac Darty\nshares in any country, including France. The dissemination, publication or\ndistribution of this press release may be subject to specific regulations or\nrestrictions in certain countries. Accordingly, persons in possession of this\nnotice are required to inform themselves of any local restrictions that may\napply and to comply with them. Fnac Darty excludes any liability in the event\nof violation of applicable legal restrictions by any person.\n\nAbout Fnac Darty\n\nFnac Darty is a European leader in omnichannel retail, a leading player in the\nsale of consumer electronics, household appliances, cultural and leisure\ngoods. Present in 15 countries, mainly in France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal,\nSpain and Switzerland, it has nearly 30,000 employees and a multi-format\nnetwork of around 1,500 stores, with strong positions on the web and a growing\nnumber of subscribers to its services. In 2025, the Group recorded sales of\nmore than €10 billion. With Beyond everyday, its strategic plan for 2030,\nFnac Darty is continuing its expansion in Europe and deepening its model based\non omnichannel, services and circularity.\nFor more information: www.fnacdarty.com\n\nCONTACTS\nANALYSTS/INVESTORS\nDomitille Vielle – Head of Investor Relations –\ndomitille.vielle@fnacdarty.com – +33 (0)6 03 86 05 02\nLaura Parisot – Investor Relations Manager – laura.parisot@fnacdarty.com\n– +33 (0)6 64 74 27 18\n\nPRESS\nBénédicte Debusschere – Head of Media Relations and Influence –\nbenedicte.debusschere@fnacdarty.com – +33 (0)6 48 56 70 71\n\n1 Assuming an interest period starting on March 23, 2026 and ending on\nNovember 16, 2026, as illustrative settlement date of the initial acceptance\nperiod of the offer. The offer price per 2027 OCEANE will be adjusted\naccording to the actual settlement date of the initial acceptance period.\n\nAttachment\n*     20260914_PR_UE notification 14 09 2026\n(https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/760af71f-67e9-44a0-9f78-8e3de6bb2c3f)","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNEL1GCx-20260914","title":"REG-Fnac Darty: Filing with the European Commission of the takeover bid initiated by EP Group for merger control purposes","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"FNAC","created":"2026-09-14T15:45:00.073Z","tickers":["FNAC"],"exchange":"Euronext Paris","article_body":"THE DISSEMINATION, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE, IN WHOLE\nOR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IS NOT AUTHORIZED IN THE UNITED STATES OF\nAMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY WHERE SUCH\nCOMMUNICATION WOULD VIOLATE APPLICABLE REGULATIONS\n\nIvry-sur-Seine – France, September 14, 2026, 5:45 PM CET\n\nFILING WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF\nTHE TAKEOVER BID INITIATED BY EP GROUP \nFOR MERGER CONTROL PURPOSES\n* Filing by EP FR HOLDCO of the formal notification with the European\nCommission\n* Merger control clearance expected by early November\n* Closing of the Offer expected by the end of 2026\nEP FR HOLDCO, a company controlled by EP Group and set up for the purposes of\nthe Offer, announced that it has today filed with the European Commission the\nformal notification under merger control of its proposed public tender offer\nfor the outstanding shares and OCEANEs of Fnac Darty (the “Offer”), in\naccordance with Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 (the “EU Merger Regulation”).\n\nProvided the European commission confirms that the notification file is\ncomplete as of the date of formal notification, the phase I review period is\nexpected to expire early November (at the latest), subject to suspension or\nextension in accordance with the provisions of the EU Merger Regulation.\n\nAs per the announcement issued by the French Financial markets authority\n(Autorité des marchés financiers, “AMF”) on May 11, 2026, the closing\ndate of the Offer will be set by the AMF after receipt of the European\nCommission’s clearance. The Offer is expected to close by the end of 2026.\nIf successful, the Offer should then be reopened for at least ten trading\ndays.\n\nTerms and conditions of the Offer\nThe Offer price is €35 per share following payment on June 5, 2026 of the\n€1.0 dividend for the 2025 financial year, and €81.16(1) per OCEANE.\n\nThe Offer was approved on May 7, 2026 by the AMF, which granted its visa on\nthe offer document of EP FR HOLDCO under number 26-128, and on Fnac Darty's\nresponse document under number 26-129.\n\nThe Board of Directors of Fnac Darty, on the recommendation of the Ad Hoc\nCommittee, has issued a favorable opinion on the Offer detailed in the\nresponse document of Fnac Darty.\n\nLedouble, acting as an independent expert, has issued a report stating that\nthe financial conditions of the Offer are fair for Fnac Darty's shareholders\nand OCEANE holders.\n\nThe documentation linked to the Offer is available on Fnac Darty's website in\nthe dedicated section\n(https://www.fnacdarty.com/en/group/investors/projet-doffre-publique-dachat-de-ep-group/)\nas well as on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org).\n\nDisclaimer\nThis press release has been prepared for informational purposes only. It does\nnot constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation for the sale of Fnac Darty\nshares in any country, including France. The dissemination, publication or\ndistribution of this press release may be subject to specific regulations or\nrestrictions in certain countries. Accordingly, persons in possession of this\nnotice are required to inform themselves of any local restrictions that may\napply and to comply with them. Fnac Darty excludes any liability in the event\nof violation of applicable legal restrictions by any person.\n\nAbout Fnac Darty\n\nFnac Darty is a European leader in omnichannel retail, a leading player in the\nsale of consumer electronics, household appliances, cultural and leisure\ngoods. Present in 15 countries, mainly in France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal,\nSpain and Switzerland, it has nearly 30,000 employees and a multi-format\nnetwork of around 1,500 stores, with strong positions on the web and a growing\nnumber of subscribers to its services. In 2025, the Group recorded sales of\nmore than €10 billion. With Beyond everyday, its strategic plan for 2030,\nFnac Darty is continuing its expansion in Europe and deepening its model based\non omnichannel, services and circularity.\nFor more information: www.fnacdarty.com\n\nCONTACTS\nANALYSTS/INVESTORS\nDomitille Vielle – Head of Investor Relations –\ndomitille.vielle@fnacdarty.com – +33 (0)6 03 86 05 02\nLaura Parisot – Investor Relations Manager – laura.parisot@fnacdarty.com\n– +33 (0)6 64 74 27 18\n\nPRESS\nBénédicte Debusschere – Head of Media Relations and Influence –\nbenedicte.debusschere@fnacdarty.com – +33 (0)6 48 56 70 71\n\n1 Assuming an interest period starting on March 23, 2026 and ending on\nNovember 16, 2026, as illustrative settlement date of the initial acceptance\nperiod of the offer. The offer price per 2027 OCEANE will be adjusted\naccording to the actual settlement date of the initial acceptance period.\n\nAttachment\n*     20260914_PR_UE notification 14 09 2026\n(https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/760af71f-67e9-44a0-9f78-8e3de6bb2c3f)"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-09-14T15:45:00.173648326Z","server_sent_at_ms":1789400700173},"received_at":"2026-09-14T15:45:00.228Z","source_url":null},"analysis":{"id":"131724","press_release_id":"142887","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Specialty Retail","sector":"Consumer Discretionary"},"redFlags":["Closing remains conditional on European Commission merger clearance; Phase I expiry subject to suspension or extension","Closing date will only be set by the AMF after EC clearance is received, leaving timing risk","€81.16 OCEANE offer price is illustrative and will be adjusted to the actual settlement date of the acceptance period"],"eventType":"m_and_a","narrative":"EP FR HOLDCO, the acquisition vehicle controlled by EP Group, has filed the formal merger control notification with the European Commission for its public tender offer for all outstanding Fnac Darty shares and OCEANEs under the EU Merger Regulation.\n\nProvided the notification file is confirmed complete, the Phase I review is expected to expire by early November at the latest, with the offer expected to close by the end of 2026 and to be reopened for at least ten trading days if successful.\n\nThe offer price is €35 per share following payment of the €1.0 dividend for 2025, and €81.16 per OCEANE on an illustrative basis. Fnac Darty's board has issued a favorable opinion, and independent expert Ledouble judged the financial conditions of the offer fair for shareholders and OCEANE holders.\n\nFnac Darty is a European omnichannel retailer of consumer electronics and household appliances with roughly 1,500 stores in 15 countries and 2025 sales of more than €10 billion.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":true,"suggestedAngle":"EP Group's €35/share buyout of Fnac Darty clears a key procedural hurdle with the EU merger filing, keeping closing on track for end-2026."},"keyFigures":{"revenue":"more than €10 billion (2025 group sales)","customDimensions":{"stores":"around 1,500","countries":15,"employees":"nearly 30,000","amf_visa_numbers":["26-128","26-129"],"expected_closing":"end of 2026","dividend_per_share_eur":1,"offer_reopening_period":"at least ten trading days","expected_phase_i_expiry":"early November 2026","offer_price_per_share_eur":35,"offer_price_per_oceane_eur":81.16}},"quotedText":"the financial conditions of the Offer are fair for Fnac Darty's shareholders and OCEANE holders","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Domitille Vielle","role":"Head of Investor Relations, Fnac Darty"},{"name":"Laura Parisot","role":"Investor Relations Manager, Fnac Darty"},{"name":"Bénédicte Debusschere","role":"Head of Media Relations and Influence, Fnac Darty"}],"products":["OCEANEs"],"companies":[{"name":"Fnac Darty","ticker":"FNAC","relationship":"filer/target"},{"name":"EP Group","relationship":"acquirer"},{"name":"EP FR HOLDCO","relationship":"acquisition vehicle controlled by EP Group"},{"name":"European Commission","relationship":"merger control regulator"},{"name":"Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)","relationship":"French markets regulator"},{"name":"Ledouble","relationship":"independent expert"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"€35","context":"Offer price per share, following payment of the 2025 dividend"},{"amount":"€81.16","context":"Offer price per OCEANE, assuming illustrative settlement date of November 16, 2026"},{"amount":"€1.0","context":"Dividend for 2025 financial year paid June 5, 2026"},{"amount":"€10 billion","context":"Fnac Darty 2025 group sales"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":5,"reasoning":"This is a full takeover bid for the filer: EP Group's acquisition vehicle has filed EU merger control notification for its offer for all Fnac Darty shares and OCEANEs at €35 per share, with the board recommending acceptance and closing expected by end-2026. M&A change-of-control events are reserved for the maximum score."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"FNAC"},"globalImportance":50,"audienceRelevance":30,"eventTypeSecondary":["regulatory"],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap European retailer","dealSizeBand":"$1-10B implied equity value","eventGravity":"takeover offer regulatory milestone (merger control filing)","issuerAuthored":true,"householdBrandBoost":"leading French/European consumer-electronics retail brand","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"event_type":"m_and_a","event_type_secondary":["regulatory"],"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":5,"narrative":"EP FR HOLDCO, the acquisition vehicle controlled by EP Group, has filed the formal merger control notification with the European Commission for its public tender offer for all outstanding Fnac Darty shares and OCEANEs under the EU Merger Regulation.\n\nProvided the notification file is confirmed complete, the Phase I review is expected to expire by early November at the latest, with the offer expected to close by the end of 2026 and to be reopened for at least ten trading days if successful.\n\nThe offer price is €35 per share following payment of the €1.0 dividend for 2025, and €81.16 per OCEANE on an illustrative basis. Fnac Darty's board has issued a favorable opinion, and independent expert Ledouble judged the financial conditions of the offer fair for shareholders and OCEANE holders.\n\nFnac Darty is a European omnichannel retailer of consumer electronics and household appliances with roughly 1,500 stores in 15 countries and 2025 sales of more than €10 billion.","key_figures":{"revenue":"more than €10 billion (2025 group sales)","customDimensions":{"stores":"around 1,500","countries":15,"employees":"nearly 30,000","amf_visa_numbers":["26-128","26-129"],"expected_closing":"end of 2026","dividend_per_share_eur":1,"offer_reopening_period":"at least ten trading days","expected_phase_i_expiry":"early November 2026","offer_price_per_share_eur":35,"offer_price_per_oceane_eur":81.16}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Domitille Vielle","role":"Head of Investor Relations, Fnac Darty"},{"name":"Laura Parisot","role":"Investor Relations Manager, Fnac Darty"},{"name":"Bénédicte Debusschere","role":"Head of Media Relations and Influence, Fnac Darty"}],"products":["OCEANEs"],"companies":[{"name":"Fnac Darty","ticker":"FNAC","relationship":"filer/target"},{"name":"EP Group","relationship":"acquirer"},{"name":"EP FR HOLDCO","relationship":"acquisition vehicle controlled by EP Group"},{"name":"European Commission","relationship":"merger control regulator"},{"name":"Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)","relationship":"French markets regulator"},{"name":"Ledouble","relationship":"independent expert"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"€35","context":"Offer price per share, following payment of the 2025 dividend"},{"amount":"€81.16","context":"Offer price per OCEANE, assuming illustrative settlement date of November 16, 2026"},{"amount":"€1.0","context":"Dividend for 2025 financial year paid June 5, 2026"},{"amount":"€10 billion","context":"Fnac Darty 2025 group sales"}]},"model_name":"glm-5.3-flash","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-09-14T15:45:42.276Z","global_importance":50,"audience_relevance":30,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"mid-cap European retailer","dealSizeBand":"$1-10B implied equity value","eventGravity":"takeover offer regulatory milestone (merger control filing)","issuerAuthored":true,"householdBrandBoost":"leading French/European consumer-electronics retail brand","retailFavoriteBoost":0}},"durationMs":41957,"modelName":"glm-5.3-flash"}}