D&B Buys AllBusiness.com for $55m

In the US, business information giant Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) has acquired online business resource AllBusiness.com, in a move which the firms say will create one of the largest audiences of 'intent-driven' business decision-makers on the web.

AllBusiness.com was launched in San Francisco in 1999, and today has an audience of more than two million business professionals. Its library of more than two million pieces of business information includes how-to articles, expert advice, blogs, business news, business directory listings, product comparisons, and business guides.

In a statement, D&B's said that the purchase would enhance its Internet capabilities while expanding its advertising-based revenue stream. In addition, it will also enable D&B to cross-sell its products and business information to new and existing customers working in small businesses.

'The acquisition will help us scale our existing Internet business while expanding our ability to meet the needs of professionals doing business on the web,' commented Steve Alesio, D&B's Chairman & CEO.

AllBusiness.com CEO Kathy Yates added: 'The combination of our business how-to advice, D&B for company insight, Hoover's for company research and First Research for industry research is a home run of powerful online business resources.' First Research was acquired by D&B in March (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6595.htm ).

The acquisition is unlikely to have an impact on D&B's 2007 financial guidance, but AllBusiness.com is expected to generate around $10m of incremental revenue for the buyer in 2008. D&B has raised its 2008 core revenue growth forecast to 8%-10%, from a prior guidance of 7%-9%, while still anticipating organic revenue growth of 6%-8% for the year. Additionally, its Board has approved a two-year $400m share repurchase programme and a 20% increase of its quarterly cash dividend to $0.30 a share from $0.25 a share.

New Jersey-headquartered D&B's business information database contains statistics on more than 100 million companies across 200 countries worldwide. Its home page is at www.dnb.com. Last month, the firm bought Californian-based commercial data integration software firm Purisma in a deal valued at $48m (www.mrweb.com/drno/news7552.htm ).

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.