Reader’s Digest Association plans to sell Allrecipes

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet
The Board of Directors of The Reader’s Digest Association has initiated a process to explore a possible sale of Allrecipes in order to accelerate its focus on its master brand strategy.

“The exploration of a sale of Allrecipes demonstrates our commitment to enhancing shareholder value and sharpening our strategic and financial focus on our core master brands, such as Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home and The Family Handyman,” said Robert E. Guth, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Allrecipes is a terrific business with an exceptional team, and impressive user growth over the last five years. We believe there will be strong interest in this category-leading asset.”

“Allrecipes has thrived over the last six years under the RDA umbrella,” said Lisa Sharples, President, Allrecipes. “We are excited about building on our significant success in expanding our user community to date and look forward to growing the Allrecipes brand with a new partner.”

Allrecipes is the world’s largest digital food brand, with over 24 million monthly unique users globally, nine million downloads of mobile apps, the number one how-to recipe channel on YouTube, and receives 700 million annual visits from home cooks who discover and share food experiences through recipes, reviews, photos, profiles, and blog posts. For 14 years, the Seattle-based site has served as a dynamic, indispensable resource for cooks of all skill levels seeking everyday and special occasion meal solutions, plus practical cooking information.

Morgan Stanley and Evercore Partners are acting as financial advisors to assist the Company with the strategic review process.

USA, New York, NY & Seattle, WA

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kgbdeals acquires New York City’s TheDealist

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

kgbdeals has acquired TheDealist, a New York City based independent daily deal website.  The acquisition further expands kgbdeals’ presence in New York City, which was its first market to launch in 2010.

Patrick Albus, CEO, kgbdeals USA said,  “We welcome TheDealist’s members and merchant partners to the kgbdeals family, and look forward to providing them with an expanded range of products and services.  We are also excited to add innovative co-founders, Eli Brill and Isabella Chung, to our leadership team.”

USA, New York, NY

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Berkery Noyes releases third quarter 2011 M&A Update for the Media & Marketing Industry

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Berkery Noyes has released its Third Quarter 2011 Mergers and Acquisitions Update for the Media & Marketing Services Industry.

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the sector across the three-month period and compares it with similar activity for the six previous quarters.

Overall, the report showed third quarter transaction volume in the Media & Marketing Services Industry increased 14 percent over the previous period, a partial recovery from the second quarter’s 24 percent decline. Transaction value, however, fell 23 percent in the third quarter, sliding from $13.5 billion to $10.4 billion.

Enterprise value multiples have been rising on a yearly basis according to Berkery Noyes research. Third quarter transactions in the Media & Marketing space commanded a median EBITDA multiple of 14.5, a 58 percent increase over the previous quarter, and a revenue multiple of 2.2, which continues to be the highest revenue multiple in the last seven quarters.

Publicis Groupe SA announced the most acquisitions in the Media & Marketing sector, with a total of 17 transactions year-to-date according to the report. The firm’s most recent purchases include Schwartz Communications, Inc., one of the largest independent public relations agencies in the U.S., and DPZ, one of Brazil’s leading advertising agencies.

“Interestingly, DPZ was Publicis Groupe’s third acquisition this year in Brazil,” said Berkery Noyes Managing Director Evan Klein. “As one of the top ten ad markets in the world, I have to think Brazil will continue to garner interest from advertising agencies in the near term.”

Third Quarter Key Highlights

  • The most active acquirer through Q3 2011 was Publicis Groupe SA with 17 acquisitions, including the acquisitions of Schwartz Communications, Inc., and DPZ during Q3 2011. Publicis Groupe SA also became majority stakeholder in Big Fuel Communications, LLC, and Spillmann/Felser/ Leo Burnett.
  • The largest Q3 2011 transaction was Bloomberg L.P.’s acquisition of BNA, Inc. for $963 million.
  • There were 124 financially sponsored transactions in the 1st 3 Quarters of 2011, with an aggregate value of $8.74 billion, representing 12 percent of the total volume and 24 percent of the total value, respectively.

A copy of the Third Quarter 2011 Media & Marketing Services Industry M&A Update is available here.

USA, New York, NY

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PennWell Acquires LED Lighting Event – The LED Show

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

PennWell Corporation, a diversified global media and information company, announced today that it has acquired the assets of The LED Show, a conference and exhibition serving the lighting design and technology segment of the LED industry.

Launched in 2009 by lighting designer and founder James Highgate, The LED Show is held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada and attracts leading LED manufacturers displaying the latest technology and products.  The LED Show was last held in July 2011 for architects, electrical engineers, home builders, hotel engineers and designers, with 87 exhibitors and an attendance of more than 3,000 from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Korea, Japan, China, England, The Netherlands and Greece.  The 2012 LED Show will take place July 30-August 1, 2012, again in Las Vegas, and Highgate will continue as a consultant to PennWell.

The LED Show is PennWell’s third acquisition in the LED and lighting industry and will be part of its LEDs & Lighting Media Group which includes the Strategies in Light conferences and exhibitions held annually in the U.S., Europe, Japan and China; the Strategies Unlimited research company focused on photonics, LEDs and lighting; and LEDs Magazine, the leading magazine and website for the global LED industry. PennWell will manage the business from its Technology Group offices in Nashua, New Hampshire under the direction of Christine Shaw, Senior Vice President and Group Publisher, LEDs & Lighting Media Group.

PennWell President and CEO Robert F. Biolchini said, “The acquisition of The LED Show expands our presence in the fastest growing segment of the LED industry, as advances in lighting technology and design are expected to proliferate over the next decade.  We look forward to marrying PennWell’s conference and exhibition capabilities with James Highgate’s deep knowledge of the manufacturers and lighting specialists that will ensure the continued growth of this event.  With the addition of The LED Show to our portfolio, PennWell has achieved a dominant position serving the full spectrum of the LED industry.”

USA, Tulsa, OK

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Silverpop acquires location-based marketing platform PlacePunch

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Silverpop, a provider of a scalable, integrated email marketing and marketing automation platform, today announced its acquisition of Atlanta-based PlacePunch, a location-based marketing platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

PlacePunch makes it easy to engage customers via location check-ins incorporated into multi-channel campaigns. Its suite of marketing programs instantly works across all major location-based social networks such as Facebook, Foursquare and Twitter.

“Today, marketers must listen carefully to their customers and deliver the most relevant content at the moment they want it most,” said Bill Nussey, president and CEO of Silverpop. “Our acquisition of PlacePunch, a true pioneer in the location-based marketing space, provides a remarkably powerful opportunity for our customers to market to people who have clearly indicated an interest in their company and a desire to purchase its products or services.”

Co-founder Adam Steinberg will be joining Silverpop as Segment Marketing Director for Social Media. Co-founder Chris Glace will serve as a Product Innovation Architect after integrating PlacePunch into Silverpop Engage.

USA, Atlanta, GA

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World Energy Solutions acquires energy efficiency firm Northeast Energy Solutions

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Energy management services firm World Energy Solutions has acquired Northeast Energy Solutions, a privately-held energy efficiency company. The acquisition provides World Energy an immediate foothold in the New England market, where utility incentives are available for commercial and industrial energy efficiency projects.

The move accelerates the growth of World Energy’s energy efficiency practice, complementing the recent addition of Bruce Buckbee and John Duquette, who joined the Company in July. Together, this expanded team provides World Energy the expertise, relationships and capabilities to plan and execute comprehensive energy efficiency services, including lighting, mechanical and HVAC retrofits and energy management systems for small and mid-sized C&I customers.

“The energy efficiency market holds great potential for World Energy,” said Richard Domaleski, CEO of World Energy Solutions. “Not only is it a large and growing market, but more and more customers are asking for our help with efficiency as we take on a wider swath of their energy management needs. The addition of Northeast Energy Solutions bolsters our energy efficiency capabilities, giving us immediate access to new customers and cross-sell opportunities.”

Based in Cromwell, CT, Northeast Energy Solutions is a regional provider of energy efficiency services, completing numerous energy efficient HVAC, refrigeration controls and other mechanical system upgrades for its commercial, industrial and institutional customers.

It is World Energy’s second acquisition in as many months. In September DigiNet reported that World energy had acquired Co-eXprise’s energy procurement business

USA, Cromwell, CT & Worcester, MA

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Mattel acquires HIT Entertainment

October 26, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Mattel has entered into an agreement to acquire HIT Entertainment for $680 million in cash from a consortium led by Apax Partners funds. HIT Entertainment owns a global portfolio of popular preschool brands, including Thomas & Friends®, Barney®, Bob the Builder®, Fireman Sam® and Angelina Ballerina®. With more than $180 million of revenues, HIT Entertainment represents one of the largest independent owners of preschool intellectual property. The purchase price equates to a multiple of about 9 ½ times trailing earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.

“Mattel is the right home for Thomas & Friends®. This powerhouse brand is joining the ranks of such iconic brands as Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price® and American Girl®,” said Robert A. Eckert, chairman and chief executive officer of Mattel. “Thomas & Friends® routinely ranks among the world’s leading preschool toys. Additionally, with more than half of the Thomas & Friends® revenue generated from non-toy products, this transaction will marry Mattel’s global marketing, distribution and brand management capabilities with HIT Entertainment’s global programming and licensing expertise to accelerate growth of the combined portfolio.”

Thomas & Friends® is the premier brand in the HIT Entertainment portfolio. Created more than 65 years ago, the brand has grown into the number 1 licensed preschool property in the world, with television programming, home entertainment products, toys and other consumer products available throughout the globe.

Mattel currently markets many Thomas & Friends® toy products under a license from HIT Entertainment which extends through 2014. Mattel’s global sales of Thomas & Friends® die-cast and plastic toys are more than $150 million, and Mattel believes that this transaction will allow the company to continue to expand and grow these product lines into the foreseeable future. Another key advantage to the acquisition is that Mattel will be able to reunite two key pieces of the Thomas & Friends® toy business: plastic and die-cast toys with the wood-based business. The current wood license expires at the end of 2012, at which time Mattel expects to add that line of business to its portfolio. Historically, the sales of wood-based toys have been around half the size of the plastic and die-cast business.

The HIT Entertainment portfolio also includes a number of other highly popular preschool brands with established television broadcast and licensing relationships around the world. The acquisition does not include HIT Entertainment’s interest in the cable network station, Sprout.

RBC Capital Markets, LLC acted as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal advisor to Mattel in connection with the transaction. BofA Merrill Lynch acted as financial advisor and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal advisor to HIT Entertainment in connection with the transaction.

USA, El Segundo, CA & UK, London

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Meredith to Acquire Every Day with Rachael Ray

October 25, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Meredith Corporation has reached agreement in principle with author and American television personality Rachael Ray for Meredith to acquire Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine and its related digital media assets from the Reader’s Digest Association. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“The acquisition of Every Day with Rachael Ray will further extend our leadership and deepen our reach in providing women with best-in-class food content, while offer advertisers multiple avenues to reach them,” said Meredith National Media Group President Tom Harty. “We are excited to add this well-recognized franchise to our strong portfolio of national media brands.”

“We are constantly looking for strategic acquisitions and investment opportunities like this to expand our reach and create shareholder value,” said Meredith Chief Development Officer John Zieser.

USA, Des Moines, IA & New York, NY

 

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Google acquires social graph analytics service SocialGrapple

October 25, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Google has acquired social graph analytics service SocialGrapple. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

SocialGrapple was created one year ago by Andrey Petrov, who described the tool as a Twitter analytics tool that tracks changes in a user’s social graph and sends users interactive charts and email reports reflecting the data. Petroc will join Google and SocialGrapple will close. All payment subscriptions have been cancelled and users must download their SocialGrapple data by November 8, 2011, or it will be deleted.

Petrov said, ” Since the first launch, we have explored keyword tracking and branched out to other social networks, but this was only scratching the surface. I’m looking forward to taking these ideas to the next level and revealing metrics on an incredibly larger scale.”

Most commentators say that Google is likely to integrate social grapple into its Google+ social network. Petrov said all payment subscriptions have been canceled and users must download their SocialGrapple data by Nov. 8, 2011, or it will be deleted.

USA, Mountain View, CA

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Federated Media Publishing has acquired Lijit Networks

October 6, 2011 — Fusion DigiNet

Federated Media Publishing has acquired Lijit Networks, Inc. Lijit is a provider of advertising services, audience analytics and reader engagement tools for online publishers of all sizes. The combined entity will reach nearly 300 million global unique visitors according to Quantcast.

Lijit, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado will continue to operate independently but in conjunction with the rest of Federated Media Publishing. Lijit CEO Todd Vernon and COO Walter Knapp will take on corresponding EVP of Technology and SVP of Platform Revenue responsibilities at Federated Media Publishing and will report directly to Federated Media Publishing’s CEO, Deanna Brown. Additionally, Lijit board member Seth Levine from Foundry Group will join the Federated Media Publishing board of directors, effective immediately.

USA, San Francisco & Boulder, CO

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