New York, NY June 30, 2014
The media, information, marketing and technology sectors saw 752 transactions announced in the first half of 2014, at a total value of $64.4 billion. Deal volume increased by 6% from 1H 2013, but with the help of Facebook’s $19 billion acquisition of mobile messaging application WhatsApp in February and several other large transactions, deal value more than doubled from 1H 2013’s $27.8 billion. Twenty four large transactions with $500+ million price tags accounted for 71% of total announced deal value but only 3% of deal volume. In contrast, small deals under $50 million drove 83% of deal volume in 1H 2014...
The first half of 2014 saw nine mega deals hitting the $1 billion+ mark
(quote from the release)
- Facebook acquisition of WhatsApp for $19 billion;
- CVC Capital Partners and Leonard Green & Partners acquisition of Advantage Sales & Marketing, a sales and marketing agency that specializes in growing brands in the consumer packaged goods industry, from Apax Partners for $4 billion;
- Priceline acquisition of restaurant reservation solutions provider OpenTable for $2.6 billion;
- Charterhouse Capital Partners acquisition of SkillSoft, a provider of on-demand training and e-learning solutions, for a reported $2.3 billion;
- Berkshire Partners acquisition of a majority stake in Catalina Marketing Corporation, a provider of consumer-driven marketing solutions to brand manufacturers, retailers and health providers, in a deal valued at approximately $2 billion;
- Cox Enterprises acquisition of a 25% stake in AutoTrader Group, a digital automotive marketplace for car shoppers and sellers, for $1.8 billion;
- KKR acquisition of Internet Brands, operator of media and e-commerce sites related to consumer purchases, from Hellman & Friedman for $1.1 billion;
- Hellman & Friedman acquisition of a majority stake in Renaissance Learning, a provider of computer-based assessment technology and school improvement programs, for $1.1 billion; and
- Relativity Media acquisition of Fullscreen, a digital media company that builds next-generation channels and networks on YouTube, for nearly $1 billion, according to several sources.
Leading M&A Sectors 1st Half 2014:
Mobile Media & Technology + Marketing Services + Technology
Download JEGI's Full M&A Report (PDF)
