Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 20, 2009

 

 

SOHU.COM INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   0-30961   98-0204667

(State or other jurisdiction

Of incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

 

Level 12, Sohu.com Internet Plaza

No. 1 Unit Zhongguancun East Road, Haidian District

Beijing 100084

People’s Republic of China

(011) 8610-6272-6666

(Address, including zip code, of registrant’s principal executive offices

and registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

On November 20, 2009, the registrant, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beijing Sohu New Media Co., Ltd, entered into an agreement with a Beijing-based developer to purchase an office building to be built in Beijing, which is to serve as the registrant’s headquarters, for a purchase price of approximately RMB750 million, or $110 million. Under the agreement, the developer is to start construction in the first half of 2010, subject to necessary permits’ being obtained, and is expected to complete construction by end of 2012. The building is expected to have an office and ancillary area of approximately 40,000 square meters. The registrant will pay the purchase price in installments as various stages of the development plan are completed. The agreement calls for the registrant and the developer to enter into a detailed purchase and sale agreement after the developer has finished obtaining all governmental permits necessary to permit the development and sale of the building.

Safe Harbor Statement

This current report on Form 8-K contains forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them.

Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that 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, the current global financial and credit markets crisis and its potential impact on the Chinese economy, the slower growth the Chinese economy experienced during the latter half of 2008, and first three quarters of 2009, which could continue through the remainder of 2009, the uncertain regulatory landscape in the People’s Republic of China, fluctuations in Sohu’s quarterly operating results, EPS dilution resulting from Changyou.com Limited’s initial public offering, Sohu’s historical and possible future losses, and its reliance on online advertising sales, online games and wireless services (most wireless revenues are collected from a few mobile network operators) for its revenues. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Sohu’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


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 hereunto duly authorized.

 

DATED: November 25, 2009     SOHU.COM INC.
    By:   /S/    CAROL YU        
      Co-President and Chief Financial Officer