US growth on the Horizon for YouGov

US-- YouGov has acquired branding, customer satisfaction and new product market research agency Clear Horizons in a deal that could cost up to $2.7m as it looks to increase its US presence.

The firm will initially pay $600,000, with the rest being linked to a performance related earn-out over three years. YouGov said it expects the acquisition to be earnings enhancing in the current financial year.

YouGov CEO Nadhim Zahawi said: “There is a good fit between Clear Horizon's research capabilities and our data collection and product offerings such as BrandIndex. This expansion will help us in achieving our goals in the USA.”

Zahawi told Research that the firm's ambition had always been to grow in the US and the company aimed to increase its presence there organically, but refused to rule out future acquisitions saying it “would look at all opportunities that arise”.

Clear Horizons will use YouGov's existing US data collection infrastructure to expand its research activities. The UK-headquartered firm bought US social research agency Polimetrix in a two-stage acquisition in 2006 and 2007.

Andy Cross, president and CEO of Clear Horizons, said: “Prior to the acquisition we already had the opportunity to use YouGov's US panel as a customer and found it to be robust and highly scaleable. We are confident that by combining our analytic capability with YouGov's infrastructure we can offer even greater value to our current and new clients.”

Author: James Verrinder

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