BEIJING, Jan. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Qunar Cayman Islands Limited (NASDAQ:QUNR) (“Qunar” or the “Company”), China’s leading mobile and online travel platform, today announced that it has called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “EGM”) to be held on February 24, 2017 at 10 a.m. (Beijing time), at 17th Floor, Viva Plaza, Building 18, Yard 29, Suzhou Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100080, The People’s Republic of China, to consider and vote on, among other matters, the proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger dated as of October 19, 2016 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Ocean Management Holdings Limited (“Parent”) and Ocean Management Merger Sub Limited (“Merger Sub”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, the plan of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands, substantially in the form attached as Annex A to the Merger Agreement (the “Plan of Merger”), and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger (as defined below).
Pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the Plan of Merger, Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company continuing as the surviving company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent in accordance with Cayman Islands Companies Law. If completed, the Merger will result in the Company becoming a privately-held company, the Company’s American depositary shares (“ADSs”), each representing three Class B ordinary shares of the Company, will no longer be listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market and the ADS facility will terminate. In addition, the Company’s ADSs and the Company’s Class B ordinary shares represented by the ADSs will cease to be registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The Company’s board of directors, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of the Company’s board of directors composed entirely of independent directors, authorized and approved the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Merger) and resolved to recommend that the Company’s shareholders and ADS holders vote FOR, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby (including the Merger).
Shareholders of record as of the close of business in the Cayman Islands on February 14, 2017 will be entitled to attend and vote at the EGM. As the record holder of the Class B ordinary shares represented by ADSs, the ADS depositary will endeavor to vote (or will endeavor to cause the vote of) the Class B ordinary shares it holds on deposit at the extraordinary general meeting in accordance with the voting instructions timely received from holders of ADSs at the close of business in New York City on January 26, 2017, the ADS record date.
Additional information regarding the EGM and the Merger Agreement can be found in the transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 and the proxy statement attached as Exhibit (a)-(1) thereto, as amended, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which can be obtained, along with other filings containing information about the Company, the proposed Merger and related matters, without charge, from the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, the Company’s proxy materials (including the final proxy statement) will be mailed to shareholders and ADS holders.
SHAREHOLDERS AND ADS HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, THESE MATERIALS AND OTHER MATERIALS TO BE FILED WITH OR FURNISHED TO THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS.
This announcement is neither a solicitation of proxies, an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities and it is not a substitute for the proxy statement and other materials that have been or will be filed with or furnished to the SEC.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “if,” “will,” “expected,” and similar statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include: uncertainties as to how the Company’s shareholders will vote at the meeting of shareholders; the possibility that competing offers will be made; the expected timing of the completion of the merger; the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed with the SEC by the Company, including the Schedule 13E-3 transaction statement and the proxy statement attached thereto. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s expectations as of the date of this press release. You should not rely upon these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
About Qunar
Qunar is China’s leading mobile and online travel platform. With a commitment to building a travel ecosystem serving the entire travel industry value chain, Qunar is evolving the way people travel in a world increasingly enabled by technology. Qunar addresses the needs of Chinese travelers and travel service providers by efficiently matching industry supply and demand through its proprietary technologies. By providing technology infrastructure for travel service providers on mobile and online platforms, Qunar integrates and offers the most comprehensive selection of travel products and the most convenient means to complete desired transactions for Chinese travelers.
Qunar means “where to go” in Mandarin Chinese.
For more information, please visit http://ir.qunar.com.