| |
Centaur to Pay Up to £7.5m for VBR
In the UK, publishing and events group Centaur Media plc has acquired data and analytics firm Venture Business Research Limited (VBR), which focuses on the clean energy and global security sectors.
Marketing Week publisher and Insight Show host Centaur will pay a maximum of £7.5m: an initial £2.5m in cash on completion and a further, performance-related payment in the year ending on 30th June 2015. VBR's founders and key execs will be staying with the business after the completion.
The acquired firm, which serves corporates, finance professionals, lawyers and investors in the clean energy, security and defence markets worldwide, will become part of Centaur's Business Information Division, alongside its financial sector information and workflow solution Perfect Information.
VBR's current revenues - a mere £0.5m in the year to 31 March 2011 - come mainly from subscriptions to two core services, and from event sponsorship. Given corresponding EBITDA losses of £0.2m, the strong multiplier and the substantial performance based element of the deal reflect expectations of a continued rapid rise in VBR's subscriber base, linked to recent investment in its content and technology platform.
Centaur CEO Geoff Wilmot says VBR is 'an excellent fit' with his company's strategic objectives of growing digital subscription revenues in core expanding international markets.' He adds: 'We will now accelerate VBR's growth by offering an exceptional route to market and the opportunity to enhance the value of its content through our leading brands Perfect Information, The Lawyer and The Engineer.'
Web sites are at www.centaur.co.uk and www.vbresearch.com .
|
