Le Lézard
Classified in: Covid-19 virus
Subjects: Product/Service, Personnel

Update on impact of COVID-19


Prosus N.V. (Prosus) (Euronext Amsterdam: PRX; JSE: PRX) (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the "Group") provides an update on its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and outlines its actions to safeguard its employees, customers and businesses as well as to support the communities in which it operates.

The Group is a global consumer internet group and one of the largest technology investors in the world. The Group's businesses serve customers in more than 90 markets. The Group estimates that approximately one-fifth of the world's population use products and services of businesses that the Group has built, acquired or invested in. The Group's diversified portfolio comprises businesses in high-growth sectors, including food delivery, online classifieds, payments and fintech, etail, online education, and social and internet platforms.

Safeguarding its employees, customers and businesses

The Group has monitored COVID-19-related developments in its markets and has implemented measures to limit the potential spread of the virus among its employees, its customers and persons connected to its businesses. The Group early-on implemented work-from-home policies and travel restrictions for its employees to help protect the health of its employees and those around them. For those employees directly serving customers, the Group has implemented measures designed to safeguard both them and its customers. In addition, the Group has implemented measures to support the key partners of its businesses.

The Group continues to respond to the developing situation, adhering to official guidance and applicable law and regulation to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.

Supporting the communities in which it operates

The Group is taking action at a group level and at a local company level to support its communities, particularly where it can use its technological expertise, global networks and resources to contribute to the response to COVID-19.

Prosus's parent company, Naspers, is contributing ZAR1.5 billion (US$82 million) in emergency aid to the South African government's response to COVID-19. Naspers was founded in South Africa over 100 years ago and it is committed to working with the South African government and civil society to help overcome the impact of COVID-19 and make a difference in the country. Naspers will contribute ZAR500 million (US$27.3 million) to the Solidarity Response Fund and will buy ZAR1 billion (US$54.7 million) worth of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies in China and fly these to South Africa

The Group continues to encourage the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of its local teams to identify additional opportunities to put its capabilities and expertise to work across the world.

Business and financial impact

The Group's leadership team is in communication with its businesses to anticipate the impact of COVID-19 on operations. It is still too early to estimate the scope of any impact, whether positive or negative, on the Group's operations and financial information, particularly in view of rising global infections and evolving government responses to the outbreak. The size of the impact on operations will vary across sector and geography. The Group intends to continue to invest in its businesses to position them for future recovery.

Importantly, the Group believes that it faces this challenging period from a position of relative financial strength and with sufficient liquidity to both navigate the changing environment and seek out new opportunities. The Group closed its financial year on 31 March 2020 with more than US$4 billion in net cash and a US$2.5 billion undrawn revolving credit facility in place. Prosus's bond offering in January 2020 successfully priced US$1.25 billion 3.680% notes (due 2030) to raise proceeds to redeem its US$1.0 billion 6.000% notes that were due in July 2020. The Group has no debt maturities due until 2025.

The Group's largest investment, Tencent, continues to grow off a very large base and in a market, China, which appears to be emerging well from the impact of COVID-19.

All of the Group's businesses have continuity plans in place. The Group is actively assessing potential impacts and supporting its businesses as they take appropriate, market-specific action as needed. The challenges of COVID-19 will vary by sector and geography, but the Group believes it has the teams, the resources and the experience required to navigate them successfully. The Group believes it will emerge from this period well-placed to continue to deliver long-term growth in the markets it serves.

To give further context to the impacts of COVID-19 on the Group's businesses, Prosus invites shareholders to attend a conference call tomorrow, Thursday, 9 April 2020 at 15:00 CET. To access the call please pre-register here. Once registered, participants will be provided with the information needed to join the conference, including the dial-in numbers and a passcode. It is also recommended that participants dial-in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start time to ensure sufficient opportunity for assistance, should it be required. The recording of the call will be made available on the website, www.prosus.com.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
8 April 2020

JSE sponsor: Investec Bank Limited

Further information

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of article 7(1) of the Market Abuse Regulation (596/2014/EU).

Forward-looking statements

This announcement contains certain statements that are, or may be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are prospective in nature and are not based on current or historical facts, but rather on assumptions, expectations, valuations, targets, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events, and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from the future results, performance or events expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this announcement may be forward-looking statements. Without limitation, forward-looking statements often include words such as "targets", "plans", "believes", "hopes", "continues", "expects", "is expected", "objective", "outlook", "risk", "seeks", "aims", "intends", "will", "may", "should", "would", "could", "anticipates", "estimates", "will look to", "budget", "strategy", "would look to", "scheduled", "goal", "prepares", "forecasts", "is subject to", "projects" or words or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof, as well as variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might", "probably" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty, because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future and the factors described in the context of such forward-looking statements in this announcement could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in any forward-looking statements. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this announcement. Any forward-looking statements made in this announcement on behalf of Prosus are made as of the date of this announcement based on the opinions and estimates of Prosus and no assurance can be given that such opinions or estimates will prove to have been correct.

All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and all subsequent oral or written forward-looking statements attributable to Prosus or its directors, officers, advisers or employees or any person acting on any of their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. No person provides any representation, warranty, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in this announcement will actually occur. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations, Prosus is not under, and does not undertake, any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Financial data

None of the information in this announcement has been reviewed by the auditors of Prosus. Figures in this announcement are based on information sourced from the financial statements of the Group as of, and for the financial year ended, 31 March 2020 and the related notes thereto. These figures have not been audited or reviewed, and are subject to adjustment and audit.

No profit forecasts or estimates

No statement in, or referred to in, this announcement is intended as or shall be deemed to be a profit forecast or estimate for any period. No statement in, or referred to in, this announcement or should be interpreted to mean that income of persons (where relevant), cash flow from operations, free cash flow, earnings or earnings per share for Prosus for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the historic published cash flow from operations, free cash flow, earnings, earnings per share or dividend for Prosus.

Rounding

Certain figures in this announcement, including financial data, have been rounded.


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