Acquisition

Kingfisher PLC
11 October 2002



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11 October 2002





                KINGFISHER PURCHASES FURTHER HOLDINGS IN HORNBACH



Kingfisher plc announces that it has extended its shareholding in Germany's
leading DIY warehouse operator Hornbach by acquiring 17.4 per cent of the
non-voting preference shares of Hornbach Holding A.G. for a cash consideration
of €36.2 million, taking its total economic interest in the business to 21.2 per
cent.  The Group has also acquired 5.5 per cent of the ordinary shares of
Hornbach Baumarkt A.G. which is 80 per cent owned by Hornbach Holding. These
shares were acquired for a cash consideration of €21.5 million.



Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy, Kingfisher's Chief Executive, said:



'We have been really encouraged by the progress we have been making in
developing our relationship with Hornbach. This move confirms our belief that
the business has excellent prospects as the leading Home Improvement warehouse
operator in Germany with positions in other markets.'





                                     -ends


Broker and Institutional Enquiries
Ian Harding, Director of Investor Relations                 [phone]

Media Enquiries
Andrew Mills, Director of Corporate Affairs                 [phone]

Media Enquiries, France
Graham Fairbank, Head of Corporate Communications          [phone]

Kingfisher plc                                              [phone]
Kingfisher website                                            www.kingfisher.com

Notes To Editors



The non-voting preference shares in Hornbach Holding are quoted on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and
constitute half of the total share capital of Hornbach Holding.



On 27 November 2001, Kingfisher announced that it had acquired a strategic stake of 25% plus 1 share of the 4
million voting ordinary shares of Hornbach Holding, which constitute the other half of Hornbach Holding's
total share capital, and that the Group would account for it as an associated company taking in 12.5% of
Hornbach's net income.



Hornbach Holding's main subsidiary is the separately quoted Hornbach-Baumarkt-AG, which operates 99 stores in
six European countries, including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Luxembourg and
Switzerland.  It also has three separate garden centres which trade under the umbrella of Hornbach Lafiora
Florapark GmbH.



Kingfisher is Europe's leading home improvement retailer and is ranked number three in the world. The Company
operates more than 590 home improvement stores in 12 countries and enjoys market-leading positions in the UK,
France, Poland and Taiwan. Sales for the Home Improvement sector for the year to 2 February 2002 were more
than £5.8 billion, with retail profit in excess of £430 million.


Kingfisher's Electrical & Furniture business operates more than 830 stores in nine countries. It is Europe's
third largest electricals retailing business by sales and number two by retail profit. As well as holding the
leading position in France and the number two position in the UK, Kingfisher also enjoys leading positions in
Belgium and in the Czech and Slovak Republics.  Sales for the year to 2 February 2002 were more than £3.7
billion, with retail profit of £184 million.





                      This information is provided by RNS
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