Nielsen plans to raise $1.75 billion through an IPO

June 3, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Nielsen Holdings BV, a global information and media company best known as a television ratings and consumer research company, plans to sell up to $1.75 billion in shares in an initial public offering when it floats on the New York Stock Exchange. Full details are available in the S1 regulatory filing – click here.

The filing does not disclose what percentage of the company’s shares are to be sold so the information can not be used to calculate a company valuation.

For the year ending 31 December 2009 Nielsen revenues were $4,808 million ($4,806 million in 2008). Net Loss attributable to Nielsen stockholders were $491 million ($589 million in 2008). The reconciliation from net loss attributable to Nielsen stockholders results in an adjusted EBITDA of $1,312 million ($1,205 million in 2008).

The filing says they have now and will continue to have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of March 31, 2010, they had total indebtedness of $8,558 million. The proceeds from the IPO will be used to help pay down the debt.

The lead underwriters are J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley, along with Credit Suisse Group AG, Deutsche Bank AG, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc.

The Company was founded in 1923 by Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr., who invented an approach to measuring competitive sales results that made the concept of “market share” a practical management tool. Nielsen Holdings B.V. is a Dutch private company with limited liability , incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands. The registered office is located at Diemen in the Netherlands. The company headquarters are located in New York, USA. The Nielsen Company B.V. and its subsidiaries were purchased on May 24, 2006 through Nielsen Holdings by a consortium of private equity firms – AlpInvest Partners, The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group, Hellman & Friedman, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Thomas H. Lee Partners. Subsequently, Centerview Partners invested in the Company. David Calhoun was appointed Chief Executive Officer in August 2006.

Ref: F231109-479

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