Fusion Corporate Partners

Data analytics provider Verisk Analytics is acquiring Wood Mackenzie from private equity firm Hellman & Friedman and other Wood Mackenzie shareholders. Wood Mackenzie provides data analytics and commercial intelligence for the energy, chemicals, metals and mining verticals.

The purchase price is £1.850 billion (approximately $2.8 billion) to be paid in cash. Verisk intends to finance the transaction through a combination of about $2 billion in debt and up to $800 million in equity.

For the year ended December 31, 2014, Wood Mackenzie’s revenue and EBITDA were £227 million and £107 million, respectively, representing an EBITDA margin of 47.1%. The transaction is expected to close during the second quarter of 2015. Stephen Halliday, Wood Mackenzie’s CEO, will continue to lead the business, reporting to Verisk president and CEO, Scott Stephenson.

In July 2012 Fusion DigiNet reported that private equity group Hellman & Friedman had taken a 63% stake in Wood Mackenzie in a deal that valued Wood Mackenzie at £1.1 billion pounds (approximately $1.7 billion). Vendor Charterhouse retained a 13 percent interest. Wood Mackenzie’s management and staff held a 24 percent interest.

Based in Edinburgh, Wood Mackenzie’s customer base includes 800+ international and national energy and metals companies, financial institutions, and governments. Wood Mackenzie works with strategy and policy makers, business development executives, market analysts, corporate finance professionals, risk teams, and investors. The company has approximately 1,000 employees worldwide with offices in Edinburgh, Dubai, Houston, London, Singapore, and Sydney.