BEIJING, July 30 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE Arca: DL) ("CDEL", or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education, announced today that its initial public offering of 8,750,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each ADS representing four ordinary shares, was priced at an initial offering price of $7.00 per ADS. All of the ADSs sold in this offering were sold by CDEL. The gross proceeds from the sale of ADSs are approximately $61.25 million. The ADSs are expected to begin trading on NYSE Arca on July 30, 2008 under the symbol "DL."
CDEL has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,312,500 ADSs to cover over-allotments, if any.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital, capital expenditures relating to the expansion of its operations and potential acquisitions.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. are acting as the joint bookrunning managers of the offering and the representatives of the underwriters. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. and Piper Jaffray & Co. are co-managers.
CDEL's registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective on July 29, 2008 by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
A copy of the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained by contacting Citigroup Global Markets Inc. by mail, Attn: Prospectus Department, 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, United States of America or Merrill Lynch & Co. by mail, Attn: Prospectus Department, 4 World Financial Center, 250 Vesey Street, New York, NY 10080, United States of America.
About China Distance Education Holdings Limited
China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals and other course participants obtain and maintain the skills, licenses and certifications necessary to pursue careers in China in the areas of accounting, law, healthcare, construction engineering, information technology and other industries.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes statements that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause CDEL's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from those in the forward-looking statements is contained in the SEC filings of CDEL.
For more information, please contact:
China Distance Education Holdings Limited
Ping Wei, Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +86-10-8233-3101
Investor Relations (HK):
Ruby Yim, Managing Director
Taylor Rafferty
Tel: +852-3196-3712
Investor Relations (US):
Mahmoud Siddig, Director
Taylor Rafferty
Tel: +1-212-889-4350
Media Contact:
John Dudzinsky, Director
Taylor Rafferty
Tel: +1-212-889-4350