DMGT to recommend Silver Lake’s recommended cash offer for Zoopla

May 11, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

SilverLake ManagementZephyr Bidco, a subsidiary of Silver Lake Management Company V, and ZPG Plc, the owners of Zoopla, have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash acquisition of the entire share capital of ZPG Plc for 490p per ordinary share, a material premium to the volume weighted average price for the three month period ended 10 May 2018.

The Board of ZPG Plc, which includes two representatives of DMGT, intends to unanimously recommend this offer to ZPG Plc shareholders and DMGT has given an irrevocable undertaking to accept the offer in respect of its entire holding, amounting to 29.8% of ZPG Plc’s issued share capital.  If approved, the transaction will become effective in the third quarter of calendar year 2018.

DMGT has been invested in Zoopla Property Group since 2012, when DMGT’s online property business, the Digital Property Group, merged with Zoopla. DMGT subsequently held a 55% stake in the combined entity.  DMGT maintained its support through ZPG Plc’s IPO in 2014.

Paul Zwillenberg, Chief Executive, commented: “The recommended all cash offer for ZPG promises to deliver a very significant return for DMGT.  The sale of our stake, pending shareholder approval at ZPG, fits with our long track record of successfully identifying new opportunities, incubating young businesses and supporting their growth to create value for shareholders.”

USA, Menlo Park, CA & UK, London

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Content production company CreativeDrive acquires Zebra Worldwide

May 9, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

CreativeDriveIndependent global content production company CreativeDrive has acquired Zebra Worldwide to combine CreativeDrive’s network of over 150 studios in the U.S., Latin America, Asia and Europe with Zebra’s portfolio of video and content production and localization offices across London, Paris, Cape Town, Kiev and Sydney. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Zebra Worldwide was founded by Management Consultant Luke Hammersley and Creative Director/Writer Nic Franklin as a production company in May 2005. Zebra is a major international content partner for brands and agencies, providing still and moving image production, post-production, localisation and associated technology services through their office network. Through their independent client base and long-standing moving image localization partnership with adam&eve DDB, Zebra work with global brands such as Reckitt Benckiser, Hilton, Ryobi Powertools, Hotels.com, and in 2017 were live in over 100 markets internationally.

Zebra Worldwide will retain its identity in the short-term, eventually transitioning to become CreativeDrive EMEA in the coming months. Zebra Worldwide CEO and founder Luke Hammersley will become CreativeDrive EMEA CEO, reporting to CreativeDrive’s Global CEO, Myles Peacock. Nic Franklin becomes Creative Director and MD, Cape Town. Sarah Rose has been promoted from Finance Director to COO, EMEA.

CreativeDrive Global CEO Myles Peacock, said: “Zebra’s ability to deliver world class video and content production through their global teams and powerful localization platform addresses brands’ insatiable need for content that is customized for specific regions and cultures. The entire Zebra Worldwide team is a natural fit to both our existing culture and our mission to continuously challenge the status quo by consistently producing high-quality content with unparalleled speed and scale.”

USA, New York, NY & UK, London

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Future completes the acquisition of four consumer titles from Haymarket  

May 2, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Future plcFuture plc has completed the acquisition of the specialist consumer titles of What Hi-Fi?, FourFourTwo, Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome from Haymarket Media Group.

It was originally reported that Future would buy five titles from Haymarket. However, Future will not now be acquiring Stuff. The consideration has therefore been reduced to up to £13m, including the issuance of 370,708 shares which are subject to lock-up restrictions for three months from the date of issue.

The four remaining titles generated revenue of £9.6m in the last financial year to June 2017.

UK, Bath & London

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Future plc acquires five specialist consumer titles from Haymarket Media Group for £14M Posted on March 21, 2018

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Blackstone reportedly near a deal to buy PennWell for around $300M

April 4, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

According to an article on the Forbes website, Blackstone Group is close to finalising a deal to acquire PennWell Corp for around $300 million. The company has estimated revenue of around $170 million. Forbes sources say the deal is being made specifically through Clarion Events, the London-based trade-show operator that Blackstone acquired last summer.

Read the Forbes article here.

USA, New York. NY & Tulsa, OK

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Future plc acquires Newbay Media

April 4, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

FUTURE-logo-Future plc, a global platform for specialist media, has acquired Newbay Media LLC, a US based information and events business, for an initial net consideration of $12.25 million (£8.62 million) cash and $1.55 million (£1.09 million) shares, with a further potential deferred consideration of up to $5.60 million (£3.94 million) in January 2019, depending on the future performance of the acquired business.

Newbay’s information and events business operates in three verticals: Television & Video, Entertainment & Educational Technology and Music. Newbay’s brands include Music Week, Twice and Broadcasting & Cable. Newbay generated EBITDA of $4.2 million in the year ending 31 December 2017.

The acquisition has been funded in part by an increase in Future’s debt facilities of £5m with the remainder of the cash consideration, as well as the expected cash consideration of the acquisition of the Haymarket titles recently announced, funded out of existing debt facilities

The initial share consideration constitutes 283,692 new ordinary shares of 15p each (the “Consideration Shares”) with a holdback on a potential further 18,303 shares. The Consideration Shares will be subject to lock-up restrictions for a period of three months from the date of issue.

Zillah Byng-Thorne, CEO of Future, commented: “This acquisition strengthens our presence in the US, and together with our recent UK acquisition expands our market leadership in music and consumer electronics. Newbay’s B2B titles, including those in audio visual and television broadcasting, will further diversify our revenue streams whilst bringing additional valuable B2B experience to complement Future’s B2C businesses.“

UK, London & USA, New York, NY

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GlobalData to acquire Research Views for £90M

April 4, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

GlobalDataGlobalData Plc has agreed to acquire Research Views Limited for £90 million.  Research Views is controlled by GlobalData Chief Executive Officer Mike Danson amongst other shareholders.

Research Views is a portal for Oil & Gas and Power news and analysis. In FY17 the Research Views generated pro forma revenues of approximately £27.0m (an increase of 18.8% over the prior year) and EBITDA of £2.1 million.

Under the terms of the Acquisition, 15,957,447 new Ordinary Shares will be issued to the vendors of Research Views Limited (15.6% of the Existing Ordinary Shares), which equates to £90.0 million based on the volume weighted average price of an Existing Ordinary Share of 564 pence over the 30 days prior to the announcement of the possible acquisition.  GlobalData’s share price at the close of business on 23 February 2018, the last business day before the original announcement of the possible acquisition, was 547.5 pence.

In addition, net debt of £9.8 million will be assumed by the Company on Completion, which includes shareholder debt of £8.4 million. The Company will procure that the shareholder debt is repaid by the Research Views Group to Michael Danson and his associated companies on completion (such repayment to be funded by the Company’s existing banking facilities).

Commenting on the Acquisition, Bernard Cragg, Chairman of the Independent Committee of GlobalData, said: “This transaction consolidates the Group’s transformation into a global data and analytics business with a truly differentiated multi-industry offering. It is consistent with our focusing on data and analytics by strengthening our existing industry offerings and expanding the industries we cover.”

Completion is expected to occur following the General Meeting on 24 April 2018.

 UK, London

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Moneysupermarket.com to acquire home communications comparison business Decision Technologies

April 4, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

moneysupermarket1Moneysupermarket is to acquire Decision Technologies Limited, a home communications and mobile phone comparison business, for £40 million.

Decision Technologies, known as Decision Tech, provides home communications comparison both as a B2B service and via its own consumer comparison brands such as broadbandchoices.co.uk. As a white-label provider, Decision Tech sits behind several of the UK’s comparison tools for home communications, including Moneysavingexpert.com. 

Decision Tech is headquartered in London and employs a team of over 40 staff. The business is forecasting £3.6 million adjusted EBITDA for the year to 31 March 2018. Following completion, Michael Phillips, Founder and CEO, and the Decision Tech management team will join the Group and continue to lead Decision Tech from their current offices in Holborn.

Mark Lewis, Moneysupermarket Chief Executive Officer, said: “Decision Tech is one of the UK’s leading platforms for helping consumers compare and choose home communications, broadband and mobile phone deals.  This is an area people find complex and confusing, and where there are plenty of savings to be made by customers”.

 UK, London

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Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Inc. acquires The Weather Channel

March 22, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Entertainment StudiosEntertainment Studios, one of the largest independent producers and distributors of film and television with nearly 160 million aggregate subscribers across the US, has acquired The Weather Group, parent company of The Weather Channel television network and Local Now streaming service. Byron Allen, founder and owner of Entertainment Studios, purchased the Weather Group through his company, Allen Media LLC, from The Blackstone Group, Bain Capital, and Comcast/NBC Universal.

The Weather Channel is one of the largest cable television networks not owned by a major conglomerate and is the nation’s only 24-hour source of national storm coverage. Harris Poll has ranked The Weather Channel as the “TV News Brand of the Year” for eight years in a row. The network recently launched a community platform, weloveweather.tv, to create a two-way dialogue with fans.

Allen said, “The Weather Channel is one of the most trusted and extremely important cable networks, with information vitally important to the safety and protection of our lives. We welcome The Weather Channel, which has been seen in American households for nearly four decades, to our cable television networks division. The acquisition of The Weather Channel is strategic, as we begin our process of investing billions of dollars over the next five years to acquire some of the best media assets around the world.”

USA, Los Angeles, CA & Atlanta, GA

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Future plc acquires five specialist consumer titles from Haymarket Media Group for £14M

March 21, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

Future plcFuture plc, the global platform for specialist media, is to acquire five specialist consumer titles from Haymarket Media Group – What Hi-Fi?, Stuff, FourFourTwo, Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome – for a consideration of up to £14 million, the majority of which is in the form of cash, with the balance in shares. The titles generated revenue of £12 million in the last financial year to June 2017. The consideration shares are subject to lock-up restrictions for three months from the date of issue.

The intended acquisition of popular brand What Hi-Fi? provides an entry into the complementary audio visual market, whilst Stuff complements Future’s existing technology brands. The acquisition of Stuff is conditional on Competition and Markets Authority approval. FourFourTwo will give Future access to the football audience during World Cup Year, whilst Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome provide a strong subscriptions proposition in the outdoor leisure market.

Zillah Byng-Thorne, CEO of Future, said, “This acquisition is a further demonstration of our strategy to develop evergreen content that connects with communities and further diversifies our revenue streams. These titles are well established brands with strong market positions that expand and enhance our presence in existing verticals and extend our reach into new communities. We have a strong track record of integrating and leveraging acquisitions and we are confident that this deal will be earnings enhancing and drive further growth in operating profitability and cash generation.”

UK, Bath & London

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Informa publishes documents relating to recommended offer for UBM

March 19, 2018 — Fusion DigiNet

In January Informa and UBM announced the creation of combined B2B Information Services Group through an offer for UBM by Informa.

InformaInforma has now published information on the background and reasons for the Offer, the financial benefits, Informa’s intentions and strategic plans and the actions to be taken by shareholders. They have also published a Prospectus relating to the new shares to be issued to UBM shareholders by Informa in connection with the Offer, and the application for admitting new shares to the premium segment of the Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities.

The information is available on Informa’s website HERE.

UBMIn addition, UBM has published its scheme document today, which contains, amongst other things, a letter from the Chairman of UBM, the full terms and conditions of the Scheme and the Offer, notices convening the Court Meeting and the UBM General Meeting, details of the Mix and Match Facility, an expected timetable of principal events and details of the actions to be taken by UBM shareholders. The Court Meting and the UBM General Meeting will take place on the same day as the Informa General Meeting.

The Scheme Document is available on the UBM website HERE.

Completion of the Offer is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2018.

UK, London

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