BEIJING, Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) ("Baidu" or the "Company"), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced the pricing of its public offering of US$1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its notes. The public offering consists of US$750,000,000 of 2.250% notes due 2017 and US$750,000,000 of 3.500% notes due 2022. The notes have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and are expected to be listed on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited.
The Company expects to receive net proceeds from the offering of approximately US$1,491.6 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated net offering expenses. The Company intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to retire certain existing debt and the remainder for general corporate purposes.
The joint bookrunners of the offering are J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.
The Company has filed an automatic shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (including a base prospectus) and a related preliminary prospectus supplement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the offering of the notes. When available, the final prospectus supplement for the offering of the notes will be filed with the SEC. The offering is being made only by means of the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus and other documents that the Company has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Company and the offering. You may obtain these documents free of charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the Company or any underwriter or dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send an investor the prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus if the investor makes such request by calling 1-212-834-4533.
This announcement is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States of America and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the applicable securities laws of any jurisdiction outside of the United States of America.
About Baidu
Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best way for people to find information. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. 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. Among other things, the description of the offering in this announcement contains forward-looking statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the SEC, 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 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: our future business development, results of operations and financial condition; our proposed use of proceeds from the sale of debt securities; our ability to attract and retain users and customers and generate revenue and profit from our customers; our ability to retain key personnel and attract new talent; competition in the internet search and other businesses in which we engage; the outcome of ongoing or any future litigation, including those relating to intellectual property rights; PRC governmental regulations and policies relating to the internet and internet search providers; general economic conditions in China and elsewhere; and conditions in the global and U.S. capital markets. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our documents filed with the SEC. 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 is as of the date of the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
China
Victor Tseng
Baidu, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-5992-7244
ir@baidu.com
Nick Beswick
Brunswick Group
Tel: +86-10-5960-8600
Email: baidu@brunswickgroup.com
U.S.
Patricia Graue
Brunswick Group
Tel: +1-415-671-7676
Email: baidu@brunswickgroup.com
SOURCE Baidu, Inc.