Alibaba broadens offline reach with $865m Easyhome stake

Alibaba Group Holding will pay about 5.45 billion yuan ($866 million) for a 15 percent stake in China's Easyhome, a home improvement chain, as the internet giant expands its investments in offline and retail businesses.

The investment underscores the company's retail strategy, aimed at leveraging offline and online activities, Alibaba said in a statement.

Easyhome, which started operations in 1999, is China's second-biggest home improvement supplies and furniture chain operator, the statement said. The Beijing-based company reported more than 60 billion yuan in sales last year.

Alibaba has been making sizable investments in the country's retail sector since 2015, when it took a 20 percent stake in local electronics retailer Suning.com Co for $4.6 billion.