Nine has today confirmed that it has signed an agreement for the sale of Stuff Limited, in a transaction which is expected to complete by 31 May 2020.

The transaction will be a management buyout with Stuff Chief Executive Sinead Boucher, taking over ownership of the business as it returns to New Zealand ownership.

“We have always said that we believe that it was important for Stuff to have local ownership and it is our firm view that this is the best outcome for competition and consumers in New Zealand,” said Hugh Marks, CEO of Nine.

Sinead Boucher said the transaction gave the business, as a wholly New Zealand owned media business, far greater certainty as it the media industry navigates through the challenging waters of the post COVID-19 ad market.

“Today is an important moment for Stuff as a business,” said Boucher. “It is great to take control of our own future with the move to local ownership and the opportunity to build further on the trust of New Zealanders, who turn to us for local and national news and entertainment every day. We are looking forward to working closely with staff, customers and our audiences as we embark upon what we believe will be a great new era for the business and the independent journalism it is built on.”

Nine acquired ownership of Stuff in 2018 following its merger with Fairfax Media. Part of the proceeds from the recent sale of internet service provider Stuff Fibre will be used to assist Stuff to operate as it settles into its new ownership structure.

Stuff Ltd is a leading publisher operating in New Zealand. It operates the country’s largest news website, Stuff.co.nz, and also owns nine daily newspapers including The Dominion Post and The Press, the highest circulation weekly, Sunday Star-Times and New Zealand social media network Neighbourly.

For more information:
Nic Christensen
Head of Corporate Affairs, Nine
nchristensen@nine.com.au

Candice Robertson
Head of Communications, Stuff
candice.robertson@stuff.co.nz

Monday, May 25 2020