Fusion Corporate Partners

• Total transaction volume in 2011 increased by 33 percent over 2010, from 1299 in 2010 to 1723 this year.
• Total transaction value in 2011 increased by 55 percent over 2010, from $46.34 billion in 2010 to $71.95 billion this year.
• The median revenue multiple rose from 1.9x in 2010 to 2.4x in 2011. The median EBITDA multiple increased from 11.4x to 12.5x.
• The segment with the largest increase in volume in 2011 over 2010 was E-Marketing & Search with a 53 percent increase from 263 in 2010 to 403 in 2011.

“M&A activity for social media and analytics companies continues to grow as a broader range of players seek to capitalize on this evolution in media and marketing communications,” said Kathleen Thomas, Managing Director at Berkery Noyes. “The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, entered the market in April with their $300 million acquisition of Kosmix Corporation, and Kosmix, now known as @WalmartLabs, has already completed four deals.”

• Microsoft Corporation’s acquisition of Skype Technologies SA, a portfolio of Silver Lake Partners, was the largest transaction for 2011, with an acquisition price of $9.08 billion.
• The most active acquirer in the Online & Mobile Industry was Google Inc. with 21 transactions (not including the acquisition of Motorola Mobility).
• There were 192 financially sponsored transactions with an aggregate value of $11.93 billion, representing 11 percent of the total volume and 16 percent of the total value, respectively.

Total acquisitions involving social media and analytics companies rose 39% from 116 transactions in 2010 to 161 in 2011. The median revenue multiple for this sector between 2009 and 2011 was 5.5x.

Click here for a copy of the Full Year 2011 Online & Mobile Industry M&A Trend Report.

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• UK private equity investment in the £10M-£10OM market grows by 44% Posted on January 18, 2012
• Berkery Noyes Releases 2011 Year End Online & Mobile Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Report posted on January 12, 2012
• Berkery Noyes releases 2011 Year End Media Trends Report Posted on January 10, 2012
• AdMedia’s Industry Survey – 2012 Mergers and Acquisitions Prospects for Media, Marketing Services and Related Technology Firms Posted on January 10, 2012
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• Quarterly analysis of UK-headquartered private equity control deals in the £10 million to £100 million segment Posted on October 5, 2011
• Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry Posted on August 1, 2011
• Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Financial Technology and Information Industry Posted on July 19, 2011
• Berkery Noyes releases its Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Online & Mobile Industry Posted on July 18, 2011
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• UK Buyout market registers strongest quarter in two years From Lyceum Capital and Cass Business School’s UK Growth Buyout Dashboard – April 8, 2011
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• US Financial Technology & Information Industry M&A trends report shows deal value has grown by 27% since 2009 – From Berkery Noyes  2010 Financial Technology & Information M&A Trends Report – January 19, 2011
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• US information industry M&A report shows deal value and volume Up 36% – From Berkery Noyes 2010 Information Market M&A Trends Report – January 7, 2011
• AdMedia Partners survey forecasts an increase in traditional media and digital media M&A and improved multiples – The AdMedia Partners annual survey of senior executives – December 30, 2010

Median revenue and EBITDA multiples increased from 2010 to 2011. The median revenue multiple went from 1.9x to 2.4x, a 26 percent rise, while the median EBITDA multiple increased from 11.4x to 12.5x. There were 1531 strategic transactions, an increase of 33 percent compared to 2010. Total volume in the Online & Mobile space increased 33 percent over 2010, from 1299 to 1723 transactions.

“M&A activity for social media and analytics companies continues to grow as a broader range of players seek to capitalize on this evolution in media and marketing communications,” said Kathleen Thomas, Managing Director at Berkery Noyes. “The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, entered the market in April with their $300 million acquisition of Kosmix Corporation, and Kosmix, now known as @WalmartLabs, has already completed four deals.”

@WalmartLabs, which is now the retailer’s digital technology division, has been building what they call “the future of commerce” through their “Social Genome,” a database combining billions of tweets, YouTube videos, Facebook messages and more. They claim this will assist shoppers with making decisions through “a broad array of social commerce applications” and ultimately help Walmart achieve greater margins and sales.

Total acquisitions involving social media and analytics companies rose 39% from 116 transactions in 2010 to 161 in 2011. The median revenue multiple for this sector between 2009 and 2011 was 5.5x.

A copy of the Full Year 2011 Online & Mobile Industry Mobile Industry M&A Trend Report is available at the Berkery Noyes website.

Related articles:

• Berkery Noyes releases 2011 Year End Media Trends Report Posted on January 10, 2012
• AdMedia’s Industry Survey – 2012 Mergers and Acquisitions Prospects for Media, Marketing Services and Related Technology Firms Posted on January 10, 2012
• mergermarket Q3 Monthly M&A Insider report Posted on November 2, 2011
• Berkery Noyes releases third quarter 2011 M&A Update for the Media & Marketing Industry Posted on October 26, 2011
• Quarterly analysis of UK-headquartered private equity control deals in the £10 million to £100 million segment Posted on October 5, 2011
• Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry Posted on August 1, 2011
• Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Financial Technology and Information Industry Posted on July 19, 2011
• Berkery Noyes releases its Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Online & Mobile Industry Posted on July 18, 2011
• Survey of Private Equity fund managers indicates improved optimism – Rothstein Kass’s Private Equity in 2011 report Posted on May 30, 2011
• Internet Advertising Revenues Hit $7.3 Billion in Q1 ’11 Highest First-Quarter Revenue Level on Record According to IAB and PwC Posted on May 30, 2011
• VC Funding in the solar sector off to a Strong Start With Q1 Coming in at $658 Million From Mercom Capital Group – April 12, 2011
• UK Buyout market registers strongest quarter in two years From Lyceum Capital and Cass Business School’s UK Growth Buyout Dashboard – April 8, 2011
• JEGI releases its Media and Information M&A report for Q1 2011 – From Jordan Edmiston Group’s Media and Information M&A report – April 1, 2011
• Investments in green companies and technologies globally now total more than $2 trillion – From Ethical Markets Media‘S The Green Transition Scoreboard – February 22, 2011
• Market Research Report – 2010 Private Equity in the Information Industry Merger & Acquisition Trends – Valuation Metrics up 53% from 2009 – From Berkery Noyes Private Equity in the Information Industry M&A Trends Report – February 4, 2011
• US entertainment and media M&A activity has outpaced the overall US deal market in 2010 – From PwC US – January 31, 2011
• US Financial Technology & Information Industry M&A trends report shows deal value has grown by 27% since 2009 – From Berkery Noyes  2010 Financial Technology & Information M&A Trends Report – January 19, 2011
• Research shows smaller buyouts bounce back in 2010 – From Lyceum Capital and Cass Business School’s UK Growth Buyout Dashboard – January 11, 2011
• US information industry M&A report shows deal value and volume Up 36% – From Berkery Noyes 2010 Information Market M&A Trends Report – January 7, 2011
• AdMedia Partners survey forecasts an increase in traditional media and digital media M&A and improved multiples – The AdMedia Partners annual survey of senior executives – December 30, 2010

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the segment across 1st Half 2011 and compares it with activity for the four previous sixth-month periods from 2009-2010.

According to Berkery Noyes research, the Online & Mobile Industry’s robust growth over the past two and a half years continued across the last six months. Total volume in 1st Half 2011 increased by 23 percent over the previous six-month period, from 643 transactions to 788. Total transaction value increased even more significantly, climbing from $28.5 billion in 2nd Half 2010 to$43.3 billion in 1st Half 2011, a 52 percent jump.

Price multiples rose in step with this increasing activity, with 1st Half 2011 Online & Mobile transactions commanding a median EBITDA multiple of 15.3 and a revenue multiple of 2.1. Both of these numbers represent 30-month highs for the segment.

Google, Inc. remained acquisitive in the sector, purchasing 11 companies over the first half of the year, bringing its two-and-a-half year total to 39. The firm’s most recent purchases represented a wide range of companies and technologies in the Online & Mobile sector, including social network analytics, search engines, and messaging services.

The largest transaction during 1st Half 2011 was Microsoft Corporation’s announced acquisition of Skype Technologies SA from an investor group led by Silver Lake Partners for $9.08 billion.

A copy of the First Half 2011 Online & Mobile Services Industry M&A Report is available at the Berkery Noyes website.

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