JD.com Considers $2.68 Billion Acquisition of UK's The Very Group to Accelerate European Expansion

May 25th, Beijing time - JD.com (JD.com) is reportedly considering an acquisition of the UK-based pure-play online retailer and installment payment service provider, The Very Group, for approximately ￡2 billion (around $2.68 billion). This move represents JD's latest expansion effort in the European market, following its unsuccessful attempt to acquire Currys and its termination of talks regarding Argos, a unit of Sainsbury's. The Very Group, which was taken over by The Carlyle Group from the Barclay family in 2025 in preparation for a sale, reported revenue of ￡2.1 billion for the fiscal year 2025, a slight year-on-year decrease of 1.8%. However, its adjusted EBITDA margin reached a record high of 14.7%. Notably, its home goods category grew by 9.9%, and the company possesses a mature installment payment financing business and a highly loyal customer base. If the deal is finalized, it would provide JD with a ready-made digital retail and fintech channel to enter mature Western consumer markets. However, the group's pre-tax losses have widened to ￡505.4 million due to restructuring costs. Whether the acquisition will ultimately proceed is still subject to further negotiations. [This article is sourced from Ebrun Go. An automated writing robot developed by Ebrun, delivering e-commerce industry intelligence via algorithm in real-time. This bot is still young; welcome to contact run@ebrun.com or leave comments to help it grow.]