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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of December 2008
Commission File Number: 000-30698
SINA Corporation
(Registrant’s Name)
Room 1802, United Plaza
1468 Nan Jing Road West
Shanghai 200040, China
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F þ Form 40-F
o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by
Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant
is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes o No þ
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with
Rule 12g3-2(b):
82-
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
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SINA CORPORATION
(Registrant)
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| Date: December 22, 2008 |
By: |
/S/ Herman Yu
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Herman Yu |
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Chief Financial Officer |
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SINA Announces Agreement to Combine with Focus Media’s Digital Out-of-Home Business
Shanghai, China— (PR Newswire)—December 22, 2008—SINA Corporation (NASDAQ GS: SINA), a leading
online media company and value-added information service provider for China and for global Chinese
communities, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Focus Media
Holding Limited (NASDAQ: FMCN) to acquire substantially all of the assets of Focus Media’s digital
out-of-home advertising networks, including LCD display network, poster frame network and in-store
network. Focus Media will retain its Internet advertising division, the movie theater advertising
network portion of its commercial location network and certain traditional billboards.
“The transaction is intended to combine the forces of the two of the most powerful new media
advertising platforms in China to provide more effective and integrated marketing solutions to our
customers,” said Charles Chao, President and CEO of SINA Corporation, “We believe that this
business combination will significantly extend our media reach and influence, reinforcing our
position as a partner of choice in new-media advertising in China.”
Tan Zhi, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Media commented, “Over the years we have built the
largest and most influential out-of-home advertising network in China, reaching over
approximately150 million of main stream urban consumers on daily basis. Joining forces with SINA
will allow both companies to achieve cross fertilization of capabilities, leveraging SINA’s content
strength and our video advertising capabilities. We are confident that the synergies of the
combined business would allow us to provide better services to our advertising customers and be
more competitive in China new media space.”
The transaction has been approved by both boards of directors and is not subject to shareholder
approval. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and certain regulatory
approvals and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2009. Under the agreement, SINA will
acquire the assets under Focus Media’s LCD display network, poster frame network and in-store
network. The related business of the acquired assets combined accounted for approximately 52% of
revenues and approximately 73% of gross profits for Focus Media for the nine months ended September
30, 2008. SINA will issue 47 million newly issued ordinary shares to Focus Media Holding as
consideration for the acquired assets. Focus Media Holding will then distribute SINA shares to its
shareholders shortly after the closing.
Conference Call
SINA and Focus Media will host a joint conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Monday, December
22, 2008 (11:00 p.m. Beijing Time Monday) to present details of the transaction and address
investor questions. The dial-in number for the call is
+1-866-203-3206 (US) or +1-617-213-8848 (International) and the pass code is 59814271. A live
webcast of the call will be available from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET on Monday, December 22, 2008
(11:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Beijing Time on December 22, 2008). The call can be accessed through
SINA’s corporate web site at http://corp.sina.com. The call will be archived for 12 months on
SINA’s corporate web site at http://corp.sina.com. A replay of the conference call will be
available through December 29, 2008 at midnight eastern time. The dial-in number is
+1-888-286-8010 (US) or +1-617-801-6888 (International). The pass code for the replay is
42984285.
About SINA
SINA Corporation (Nasdaq GS: SINA) is a leading online media company and value-added information
service provider in the People’s Republic of China and for the global Chinese communities. With a
branded network of localized web sites targeting Greater China and overseas Chinese, the Company
provides services through five major business lines including SINA.com (online news and content),
SINA Mobile (MVAS), SINA Community (Web 2.0-based services and games), SINA.net (search and
enterprise services) and SINA E-Commerce (online shopping). Together these business lines provide
an array of services including region-focused online portals, MVAS, search and directory,
interest-based and community-building channels, free and premium email, blog services, audio and
video streaming, game community services, classified listings, fee-based services, e-commerce and
enterprise e-solutions. The Company generates the majority of its revenues from online advertising
and MVAS offerings, and, to a lesser extent, from search and other fee-based services.
About Focus Media
Focus Media Holding Limited (Nasdaq GS: FMCN) is China’s leading multi- platform digital media
company, operating the largest out-of-home advertising network in China using audiovisual digital
displays, based on the number of locations and number of flat-panel television displays in our
network, and is also a leading provider of Internet marketing solutions in China. Through Focus
Media’s multi-platform digital advertising network, the company reaches urban consumers at
strategic locations and point- of-interests over a number of media formats, including audiovisual
television displays in buildings and stores, advertising poster frames and other new and innovative
media, such as outdoor light-emitting diode or LED digital billboard and Internet advertising
platforms. As of September 30, 2008, Focus Media’s digital out-of-home advertising network had
approximately 120,000 LCD display and digital frames in its commercial location network,
approximately 56,000 LCD displays in its in-store network and approximately 300,000 advertising
in-elevator poster and digital frames, installed in over 90 cities throughout China, and
approximately 250 outdoor LED billboard displays in Shanghai and Beijing. For more information
about Focus Media, please visit our website at http://ir.focusmedia.cn .
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that relate to, among other things, SINA’s
expected financial performance and SINA’s strategic and operational plans. SINA may also make
forward-looking statements in the Company’s periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in its proxy statements, in its offering
circulars and prospectuses, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements
made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. SINA assumes no obligation to
update the forward-looking statements in this release and elsewhere. Statements that are not
historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties.
A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained
in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited
to, SINA’s limited operating history, the uncertain regulatory landscape in the People’s Republic
of China, including how the new EIT will be implemented, the changes by mobile operators in China
to their policies for MVAS, the Company’s ability to develop and market other MVAS products,
fluctuations in quarterly operating results, the Company’s reliance on online advertising sales and
MVAS for a majority of its revenues, the Company’s reliance on mobile operators in China to provide
MVAS, any failure to successfully develop and introduce new products and any failure to
successfully integrate acquired businesses. Further information regarding these and other risks is
included in SINA’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2007 and its other
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This press release is provided for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase
nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of SINA. Any securities offered in
connection with the transaction will not be or have not been registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an
applicable exemption from registration requirements.
Contact:
Cathy Peng
SINA Corporation
Phone: 8610-82628888 x 3112
Email: ir@staff.sina.com.cn