Ao World Regulatory News (AO.)

AO WORLD PLC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Frasers Group plc announces that it acquired a strategic stake of 18.9% in AO World Plc ("AO") on 9 June 2023. Further details were provided in an announcement released by AO on 9 June 2023 which read as follows:-

AO world Plc ("the Company" or "AO"), a leading online electricals retailer, announces that Frasers Group plc ("Frasers") has acquired an 18.9% strategic stake in AO with the purchase of 109,400,000 issued shares at a price of 68p totalling an investment of £75m. The investment is the culmination of productive talks over the last two years about establishing a strategic partnership.

Michael Murray CEO of Frasers Group said: "Frasers has long admired what John and the AO team have built, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to form a supportive, strategic partnership. AO is a fantastic business with a clear strategy which is leading the market in online-only electricals. Through this investment, Frasers will benefit from AO's valuable know-how in electricals and two-man delivery, helping us to drive growth in our bulk equipment and homeware ranges. In turn, AO will have the opportunity to benefit from Frasers' expertise and ecosystem."

John Roberts Founder and CEO of AO said: "This is great news for AO and a fantastic endorsement for our business. We are delighted to welcome Michael and the wider Frasers team into the AO family and look forward to realising the significant potential that we see for this partnership. As we continue to build on our strategy of pivoting to profitable growth, it will be hugely exciting to have a range of compelling strategic opportunities to explore together and we're very much looking forward to working with Michael and his team.