The Competition Authority approved the acquisition of the full ownership of AS Õhtuleht Kirjastus by Ekspress Grupp
On 2 April 2026, the Estonian Competition Authority approved the transaction signed between AS Ekspress Grupp and AS AVH Grupp on 9 July 2025, under which Ekspress Grupp acquires the 50% stake in AS Õhtuleht Kirjastus previously owned by AVH Grupp. As a result of the transaction, Ekspress Grupp will become the sole owner of Õhtuleht Kirjastus. The parties will complete the transaction after all of the preconditions for closing the transaction have been met.
Õhtuleht Kirjastus is one of Estonia’s largest media companies, publishing Õhtuleht, the daily newspaper with the largest circulation in Estonia, as well as several popular magazines. The company also manages online publications, including the ohtuleht.ee and toidutare.ee portals.
The acquisition provides Ekspress Grupp with additional opportunities to invest in quality journalism and is in line with the group’s long-term strategy. The transaction will not result in changes to Õhtuleht Kirjastus’s daily operations or organisational structure. Õhtuleht will continue as an independent media publication with an editorially independent newsroom.
The transaction is not considered to be of significant importance according to the “Requirements for Issuers” section of the NASDAQ Tallinn Stock Exchange Regulations. AS Ekspress Grupp confirms that the members of the group’s management board and supervisory board have no personal interest in the transaction.