Sky has made a further $0.7m equity investment in Internet streaming device maker Roku. This follows the total investments of $12.2m made by Sky in Roku in July 2012 and May 2013, and is to provide financing for Roku’s operations and activities.
Sky’s press release also mentioned that 21st Century Fox have also made a further equity investment in Roku,” but didn’t provide financial details.
USA, New York, NY & UK, London
Rupert Murdoch’s media company News Corp is to acquire Move, an online US real estate business. REA Group Limited, which is 61.6% owned by News Corp and is the operator of the Australian residential property website, realestate.com.au, plans to hold a 20% stake in Move with 80% held by News Corp.
Through realtor.com and its mobile applications, Move displays more than 98% of all for-sale properties listed in the US, sourced directly from relationships with more than 800 Multiple Listing Services across the country. The Move Network of websites, which also includes Move.com, reaches approximately 35 million people per month, who spend an average of 22 minutes each on its sites.
News Corp will acquire all the outstanding shares of Move for $21 per share, or approximately $950 million (net of Move’s existing cash balance), via an all-cash tender offer. This represents a premium of 37% over Move’s closing stock price on September 29, 2014. REA’s share will be acquired for approximately US$200 million. News Corp intends to commence a tender offer for all of the shares of common stock of Move within 10 business days, followed by a merger to acquire any untendered shares.
For the year ended December 31, 2013, Move reported $227 million in revenues, and $29 million in adjusted EBITDA
“This acquisition will accelerate News Corp’s digital and global expansion and contribute to the transformation of our company, making online real estate a powerful pillar of our portfolio,” said Robert Thomson, Chief Executive of News Corp. “We intend to use our media platforms and compelling content to turbo-charge traffic growth and create the most successful real estate website in the US. We are building on our existing real estate expertise and expect to leverage the potential of Move and its valuable connections with Realtors® and consumers around the country.”
Move owns ListHub, a digital platform that aggregates and syndicates MLS data to more than 130 online publishers, reaching approximately 900 websites.
Move will become an operating business of News Corp and remain headquartered in San Jose, California. The company, started in 1993, has 913 employees.
USA, New York, NY & San Jose, CA
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Moody’s Corporation is to acquire the remaining outstanding shares of Copal Amba. Moody’s is currently a majority owner of Copal Amba, which was formed through the acquisitions of Copal Partners in 2011 and Amba Investment Services in 2013.
Copal Amba, a leader in the market for Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), provides offshore research, analytics and business intelligence services to the financial and corporate sectors. Its clients range from global financial institutions and Fortune 100 corporations to boutique investment banks and asset managers.
“Copal Amba has had strong momentum since its formation and has expanded its penetration into the growing market for outsourced financial research, analytics and business intelligence services,” said Linda S. Huber, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Moody’s.
The acquisition of the remaining shares is not expected to have an impact on Moody’s earnings per share in 2014 and will be funded from international cash on hand. The terms of the transaction, which is expected to be finalised in Q4 2014, were not disclosed.
USA, New York, NY
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WPP’s wholly-owned media investment management company, GroupM, has acquired 49% of media agency Haworth Marketing + Media in the United States.
Haworth’s billings for the year ended 31 October 2013 were approximately US$700 million with gross assets of US$87 million at the same date. The agency manages media investment for clients such as Target, Ben & Jerry’s, Beats by Dr. Dre, Honeywell, DreamWorks Animation and The Oscars. Haworth, which employs 140 people and has offices in Minneapolis and Los Angeles, was founded in 1970.
UK, London & USA, Minneapolis, MN
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WPP is to invest $25 million in publisher ad server platform AppNexus.
AppNexus has net revenues that are above $100 million and is currently valued at $1.2 billion. The company employs nearly 600 people and is based in New York with 10 offices around the world. It was founded in 2007. AppNexus’ platform allows real time buying and selling of digital advertising for marketers, publishers and content providers and media investment management companies, including Xaxis and its parent GroupM, the WPP-owned media investment management company that oversees $105 billion in client billings, according to RECMA. AppNexus currently delivers more than 30 billion ad impressions per day and forecasts that annual spending across its platform will exceed $2 billion in 2014.
Xaxis is contributing its “Xaxis For Publishers” (XFP) business to AppNexus (formerly Open Adstream). The technology was one of several acquired by WPP as part of the 24/7 Real Media acquisition and is the second largest publisher ad server platform in the world. The staff of XFP will join AppNexus, where they will add even greater value to AppNexus’ strategy. This deal enables Xaxis to focus development resources on its core data technology and media products, while more closely aligning with a strong, independent ad serving partner. Xaxis will continue to develop its own robust proprietary platform including its Turbine DMP, analytics suite, and reporting and optimization technology.
The transaction expected to close by year end.
UK, London and USA, New York, NY
UBM is in advanced talks to acquire Advanstar. Reuters is reporting that UBM are paying around $900M for the privately held U.S. trade show organiser.
Advanstar generates roughly $95 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation. It has has a portfolio of 54 trade shows, 100 conferences, 30 publications, and almost 200 electronic products and Web sites, as well as educational and direct marketing products and services. Advanstar has approximately 600 employees and currently operates from multiple offices in North America and Europe.
A UBM statement confirming the talks said, “UBM plc notes recent market speculation concerning a potential acquisition of 
Advanstar by UBM. UBM confirms that it is involved in discussions which may, or may not, lead to a transaction. A further announcement will be made in due course, if appropriate.”
This would be the first large acquisition for UBM under its new CEO Tim Cobbold, who started at the company earlier this year after leaving British banknote printer De La Rue.
UK, London & USA, Santa Monica, CA
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Asset International has acquired Corporate Insights. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Based in Vancouver, Corporate Insights is a market research firm focused on the Canadian financial services industry. Corporate Insights works with wealth management and retail banking organizations on issues related to strategic decision-making, business growth initiatives, sales force management and competitive benchmarking.
Corporate Insights will operate as a division of Asset International’s Investor Economics, a business acquired by Asset International in 2013.
USA, New York & Canada, Vancouver
WPP is taking a significant minority stake in Indigenous Media along with ITV, the UK’s largest commercial broadcast network.
Indigenous Media LLC is a new digital studio that produces high-quality scripted content and develops channel brands for content distribution, founded by award-winning film makers Jon Avnet, Rodrigo Garcia and Jake Avnet.
WPP and ITV will contribute advertising and distribution expertise, allowing Indigenous Media to focus on creating content that will attract brand sponsorships, and global distribution on multiple platforms. Other investors include Advancit Capital and individuals including Steven Tisch, Michael Price and Dr. Aaron Stern. Indigenous Media is based in Los Angeles.
Indigenous Media will focus on producing scripted hour-long and half-hour long series for digital platforms worldwide, as well as developing multi-platform content brands. Director/producers Jon Avnet (Black Swan, Justified, Fried Green Tomatoes, Risky Business), Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs, In Treatment, Big Love, Last Days in the Desert), and Jake Avnet have won Oscars, Emmys and Tonys for their work. They bring well established relationships with such talents as Julia Stiles, Jennifer Beals, America Ferrera, Jennifer Garner, Anna Paquin, Maggie Grace and Alfred Molina, and writers/directors Marta Kauffman, Betty Thomas, Lesli Linka Glatter, Paul Brickman, and Neil LaBute to the new company.
The Avnets and Garcia have already won critical acclaim for the female-centric WIGS digital content model they founded, which has Fox Broadcasting as its strategic partner. WIGS, which is available on Hulu and FOXNOW, develops high-quality original series, short films, and documentaries, all starring female leads. WIGS has been recognized by The Webbys, Streamy’s, IAWTV, and Writers Guild of America, among others.
UK, London & USA, Los Angeles, CA
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New Media Investment Group Inc. has completed the acquisition of The Providence Journal and related print and digital assets for $46.0 million in cash from A. H. Belo Corporation.
The Providence Journal is one of the oldest print publications in the United States and was first published in 1829. It has a daily circulation of approximately 72,000 and 96,000 on Sunday.
The purchase price was funded with a combination of cash on the balance sheet and an incremental $25.0 million on the Company’s existing term loan. The Providence Journal is one of the oldest print publications in the United States and has a daily circulation of approximately 72,000 and 96,000 on Sunday.
USA, New York, NY & Providence, RI
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New Media Investment Group acquires The Providence Journal for $46M Posted on July 23, 2014
IHS Inc. has acquired PCI Acrylonitrile, a provider of chemical market insight and consulting services for the global acrylonitrile and derivatives industry.
Based in the U.K., PCI Acrylonitrile publishes the Acrylonitrile Market Report, a monthly report focused on the global acrylonitrile industry and its derivatives. Led by Simon Garmston, founder of PCI Acrylonitrile, the company also provides annual market analysis as well as consulting services and hosts a key industry event focused on the acrylonitrile sector.
“The acquisition of PCI Acrylonitrile is a tremendous addition to our industry-leading chemical market advisory service covering the fibers and plastics businesses,” said Scott Key, IHS president and CEO. “The acrylonitrile analysis, combined with our IHS Chemical olefin, propylene market and special reports coverage, as well as the upstream market coverage we deliver at IHS, will provide unparalleled integrated analysis that is essential to our customers. We are excited to welcome Simon Garmston, who is recognized globally for his expertise in this highly specialized, but strategically important and growing chemical market.”
Acrylonitrile is an essential component for the production of fibers and polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a versatile, high-strength polymer (plastic) resin used to produce a variety of products in both civilian and military applications. PAN fibers are used to manufacture clothing and other ‘acrylic-based’ products. Additionally, PAN is used to produce high-quality carbon fibers, which are essential to high-tech communications infrastructure and production of aircraft, filtration systems, missiles, industrial and technology components, as well as numerous consumer goods.
USA, Englewood, CO & UK, London
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Fusion Corporate Partners 
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