Deals

UDG Healthcare plc (“the Group”), a leading international healthcare services provider, is pleased to announce two acquisitions in its Ashfield Communications and Advisory business. Putnam Associates (“Putnam”), a US-based strategic management healthcare consultancy, is being acquired for a total consideration of up to $88.6 million, and Incisive Health, a UK-based healthcare policy and communications consultancy, is being acquired for a total consideration of up to £13.6 million ($17.7 million).

Huntsworth plc, the healthcare and communications group, today announces the acquisition of 70% of Creativ-Ceutical S.A.R.L. (“CC”), a Luxembourg company, from 100% shareholder Avicenne Invest S.A., a company connected to CC’s founder Pr Mondher Toumi for an initial cash consideration of €15.5 million, and the acquisition of 85% of Kyne Communications, LLC and Kyne Communications Limited through direct and indirect interests (together, “KYNE”) from founder and majority shareholder David Kyne and his wife Jacqueline Kyne together with associates for an initial cash consideration of $17.4 million. The Group also announces a successful placing raising gross proceeds of £16.3 million (the “Placing”) to part-fund the acquisitions, with the balance (approximately £12 million) to be funded from existing debt facilities.

The organiser of IndiaCorr Expo, Reed Exhibitions, has announced the acquisition of Mumbai-based Next Events’ flagship packaging exhibition portfolio PackPlus.

Dotdash,  the former About.com, has acquired Brides from Condé Nast, one of three brands the magazine publisher put up for sale this year. Terms of the Brides deal, which closed today, were not disclosed.

Immediate Media Co, the special interest content and platform company, has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in River Street Events Ltd. The deal sees Immediate acquire the remainder of the business in late 2020.

Mass media company Discovery, Inc. has acquired Golf Digest from publisher Condé Nast. The move creates the largest digital golf media business in the US and strengthens Australian Golf Digest’s position as the number one golf media company in Australia.

Singapore-based music platform BandLab Technologies, which last year acquired Guitar and MusicTech magazines, is increasing its investment in media by buying New Musical Express (NME) and Uncut from TI Media (formerly Time Inc UK).

Dublin-headquartered Ion Investment Group has acquired a majority stake in financial information service Acuris in a deal reportedly valued at more than £1 billion (€1.15 billion)

Centaur Media Plc (“Centaur” or the “Group”), an international provider of business information and specialist consultancy, today announces that it has entered into a conditional agreement to sell its engineering portfolio, including The Engineer and Subcon, to Mark Allen Group.

Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40) today announced it has entered into an agreement with Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS) under which Publicis Groupe will acquire Alliance Data’s Epsilon business for a net purchase price of $3.95 billion after tax step-up (total cash consideration of $4.40bn) and build a strategic partnership with Alliance Data remaining business. This acquisition will accelerate the implementation of Publicis’ strategy to become the preferred transformation partner for its clients 

The board of Independent News and Media has agreed a sale to Belgian newspaper group Mediahuis for €145.6m. The INM board has unanimously recommended the offer, which is conditional on acceptance by shareholders. Independent News and Media publishes the Irish Independent, Independent.ie, ‘Sunday Independent’, ‘Sunday World’, ‘The Herald’, ‘Belfast Telegraph’ and several regional newspapers.

Sir Martin Sorrell’s recently formed marcoms business S4 Capital has expanded its digital content and programmatic capabilities with the acquisition of Amsterdam and Miami-based film production studio Caramel Pictures and São Paulo-based programmatic consultancy ProgMedia.

Bauer Media Group has entered into an exclusive negotiation process for the acquisition of Télécâble Sat Hebdo, one of France’s leading TV magazines

The Mark Allen Group is in the final stages of completing on a deal to acquire 12 magazines currently published by the Dorking-based company, UKi Media & Events. These magazines fall into three B2B sectors: aviation, automotive and transport, and entertainment.

Centaur Media Plc (“Centaur” or the “Group”), an international provider of business information and specialist consultancy, today announces that it has entered into a conditional agreement to sell Centaur Human Resources Limited, the owner of the Employee Benefits brand and the rest of its HR business, to DVV Media International Ltd (“DVV Media International”) for a cash consideration of £5m (subject to customary post-completion adjustments). Completion of the disposal is expected to take place on 30 April 2019.

Simplify Compliance, a Leeds Equity Partners portfolio company, announced today that it has completed the sale of Argosy Group. The transaction resulted from a strategic decision to further hone the parent company’s focus on its core markets: human capital management, healthcare, environmental health and safety, and communications.

DC Thomson Media has confirmed the acquisition of PSP Media, a Glasgow based publisher and event specialist. Following the announcement of radio growth in March, DC Thomson Media’s acquisition of PSP Media is another key step in transforming the business from traditional publisher to modern media creator.

Centaur Media Plc (“Centaur” or the “Group”), an international provider of business information and specialist consultancy, today announces that it has entered into a conditional agreement to sell Centaur Media Travel and Meetings Limited (CTM), the owner of the Business Travel Show and The Meetings Show, to Northstar Travel Media UK Limited (“Northstar”), a leading B2B information and marketing solutions company focused on the global travel and meetings industries. Completion of the disposal is expected to take place on 30 April 2019.

Publicis Groupe is in talks to acquire data marketing giant Epsilon, the holding company confirmed Monday. Epsilon, which is owned by Irving, Texas-based Alliance Data Systems, is ranked as the world’s 13th largest agency company with revenue of $2.3 billion in 2017, according to the latest figures from the Ad Age Datacenter. Epsilon reported 2018 worldwide revenue of $2.2 billion.

Enthuse Group today announces the acquisition of a 51% stake in AA Media, the hospitality, publishing and merchandising division of The AA plc. Enthuse Group specialises in breathing new life into heritage brands and operates thirty  diverse specialist communities of enthusiasts. Titles include Hi-Fi News, Stereophile, Total Carp, The Woodworker, Stamp Magazine and  Patchwork and Quilting amongst others. The longest-running title in the Enthuse Group portfolio has been published fortnightly since the late 19th century.