Fusion Corporate Partners

Pearson Plc is to sell The Mergermarket Group to BC Partners for an enterprise value of £382 million, payable in cash.

Mergermarket is a provider of global corporate financial news, intelligence and analysis to advisory firms, investments banks, law firms, hedge funds, private equity firms and corporations operating in 65 countries. The Company was founded in 1999 and acquired by Pearson in 2006 for £101m plus a subsequent earn-out.

Mergermarket has grown substantially under Pearson’s ownership, reporting revenues of £100 million, operating income of £25 million and profit before tax of £23 million in the 12 months to 31 December 2012, and continues to grow strongly.  Over the same period, Mergermarket contributed 2.5 pence to Pearson adjusted earnings per share.  At 30 June 2013, Mergermarket had gross assets of £129m.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2014. Pearson intends to redeploy the proceeds from the sale in its global education business.

Nikos Stathopoulos, Managing Partner at BC Partners, said, “Mergermarket is a high quality company and a global market leader with an attractive business model, strong growth, and loyal customers. We are pleased to partner with CEO Hamilton Matthews and the whole of the Mergermarket team to continue to invest in the growth of the business through product development and geographical expansion to deliver value and innovation to customers”.

UK, London

Related links:

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• Pearson half-year results: FT Group’s Mergermarket business put up for sale Posted on July 30, 2013
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