SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 20549

 

FORM 6-K

 

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 UNDER

THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the month of September 2018

 

FOMENTO ECONÓMICO MEXICANO, S.A.B. DE C.V.

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Mexican Economic Development, Inc.

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

United Mexican States

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

General Anaya No. 601 Pte.
Colonia Bella Vista
Monterrey, Nuevo León 64410
México

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports

under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:

 

Form 20-F x Form 40-F ¨

 

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): _______

 

 

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): _______

 

 

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 ¨ No x

 

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 of the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

FOMENTO ECONÓMICO MEXICANO, S.A. DE C.V.
     
  By: /s/ Carlos Eduardo Aldrete Ancira  
  Carlos Eduardo Aldrete Ancira  
  General Counsel  
Date:  September 24, 2018    

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

FEMSA Comercio enters the drugstore business in Ecuador

 

 

Monterrey, Mexico, September 24, 2018 — Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (“FEMSA”) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSAUBD) announced today that through its majority-owned subsidiary Socofar, it has reached an agreement to acquire Corporación GPF (“GPF”).

 

GPF is a leading drugstore operator based in Quito, Ecuador, with almost 90 years of solid trajectory, operating more than 620 points of sale nationwide mainly under the Fybeca and SanaSana banners.

 

This transaction represents a new building block of FEMSA Comercio’s drugstore strategy in South America, following its successful acquisition of a controlling stake in the drugstore and distribution platform of Chile-based Socofar in 2015. Today’s announcement marks another important step for FEMSA Comercio as it brings its considerable retail expertise and Socofar’s deep industry knowledge to the Ecuadorian market and its more than 16 million consumers.

 

GPF is a strong local operator with attractive growth prospects, and it will help Socofar as it continues to build a robust base from which to expand further in the region.

 

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close during the first quarter of 2019.

 

 

 

 

####

 

 

 

About FEMSA

FEMSA is a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume; and in the beer industry, through its ownership of the second largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. In the retail industry it participates through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Retail Division operating various small-format store chains including OXXO, a Fuel Division, operating the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations, and a Health Division, which includes drugstores and related operations. Additionally, through its Strategic Businesses unit, it provides logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA's business units and third-party clients.

 

 

September 24, 2018   1