NetRatings Acquires NetValue

NetRatings last week acquired a controlling interest in NetValue, an international provider of Internet audience behaviour measurement services.

Following its acquisition of the controlling interest, NetRatings will initiate a tender offer to acquire the remaining outstanding shares of NetValue. Once complete, the acquisition will create a unified international standard for the measurement and analysis of consumer behaviour online, reaffirming Nielsen//NetRatings as the global standard in Internet audience measurement and analysis.

Under the agreement, NetRatings will acquire a 52 percent ownership position in NetValue through the direct purchase of 4,603,069 shares of common stock from majority shareholders at €2 per share. Payment will be approximately 80 percent cash and approximately 20 percent NetRatings' common stock. Upon the acquisition of the controlling interest, NetValue's board will be reconstituted to provide NetRatings with majority control and Lennart Brag will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors. The full amount for the complete acquisition of NetValue is expected to be approximately €18.1 million based upon a €2 per share price.

Key assets of NetValue include Internet audience measurement services in nine countries with over 200,000 panellists in Europe and Asia including NetValue's new MegaPanel business in the UK, Germany, and France. Through the acquisition, NetRatings will integrate the best services, methodologies and technologies from NetValue into the industry leading Nielsen//NetRatings services to provide a global standard for both NetRatings and NetValue clients, including the NetRatings clients acquired from Jupiter Media Metrix and ACNielsen eRatings.com in May 2002.

'We are excited about bringing NetValue's unique strengths into the NetRatings family, and will incorporate some of their industry leading technologies across our services globally,' said William Pulver, president and CEO, NetRatings. 'Having successfully completed the operational integration of eRatings and Jupiter MMXI's International audience measurement businesses, we anticipate a smooth transition with NetValue that will enhance the range of services we provide our clients, and further solidify Nielsen//NetRatings as the global standard in Internet audience measurement and analysis.'

'The synergy between NetRatings and NetValue will deliver a single industry standard for measuring Internet user behaviour, helping to accelerate growth and acceptance of the Internet,' added Lennart Brag, chairman and CEO, NetValue. 'The integration of our respective services will provide clients with a better understanding of online user behaviour, providing a common independent currency upon which partnerships can be arranged, advertisements placed, users targeted and success measured.'

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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