YouGov to raise £38m for international acquisitions
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UK-- Online research agency YouGov is to fund three acquisitions in Europe and the US with £27m cash from an institutional share placing, and a further £11.3m in shares.
The firm is acquiring Scandinavian online researcher Zapera for £5.3m, Germany's Psychonomics for £14m, and the remaining stake in US agency Polimetrix, of which it already owns 32%, for £11.7m.
Around £21.7m of cash raised from the placing will be used to buy the firms, along with an issue of a further £11.3m of shares to the three companies, and the granting of options. Under agreements with Zapera and Psychonomics, YouGov will pay up to £6.5m more based on performance.
CEO Nadhim Zahawi said the purchase of the three firms will “expand our international presence considerably”. “These acquisitions will provide YouGov with an enlarged global presence in key hubs in the USA and EMEA,” he said.
YouGov was granted the option of acquiring the rest of Polimetrix when it bought its initial stake in the firm in December.
Zapera, which specialises in healthcare and brand research, has offices in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, and a panel of more than 125,000 people.
Stockholders will vote on allotting the shares at an extraordinary general meeting on 3 September.
Author: Robert Bain
Related links:
YouGov in €20m deal to buy Germany's Psychonomics
Zapera aims for top five position in Nordic region
YouGov dives into the US market
