Growing comScore Buys Ad Analytics Firm Proximic

Digital audience measurement firm comScore has announced the acquisition of California-based digital ad analytics specialist Proximic; and has reported first quarter revenue up 14% to $87.3m, and the profit measure adjusted EBITDA 25% higher at $21.3m.

Proximic, whose team will now join comScore, is based in Menlo Park, CA and offers tools to help buyers and sellers of digital advertising. comScore says software from Proximic's pre-bid solutions will help it develop brand safety and content categorization capabilities across its product range, including its Industry Trust offerings, validated Campaign Essentials and Media Metrix Multi-Platform product suites.

Proximic's solutions allow clients to create customized targeting segments and target / filter inventory being bid on in real time; sellers can create their own programmatic packages across their inventory and share them directly with selected buyers. The solutions are integrated into a number of publishers and DSPs including AppNexus.

comScore CTO Mike Brown comments: 'Proximic's solutions will help us create a higher quality environment where buyers are given better context and brand protection regarding what they are purchasing, and sellers are better able to receive fair value for their inventory'. Rodney Mayers, President and CEO at Proximic adds: 'As the programmatic industry matures and expands, it's important to have a trusted, truly neutral data solutions provider that advertisers and publishers can rely on to solve global and cross-media measurement challenges. We are thrilled to join comScore, and look forward to the great work our teams will do together.'


comScore's financial results continue a long tradition of revenue growth, with GAAP losses but considerable profit after adjustment. This quarter, reported / GAAP loss before income taxes was $9.7m and net loss $7.3m, but adjusted EBITDA rose 25% to $21.3m and adjusted EBITDA margin rose 200 basis points to 24% of revenue.

comScore says it expects GAAP revenue for the full year 2015 between $368.0m and $381.0m; GAAP (loss) / income before income taxes of between ($9.2m) and $5.4m; and adjusted EBITDA of between $85.5m to $94.5m. These amounts expressly exclude the anticipated effects of comScore's Mobile Operator Analytics Division, which it intends to sell.

CEO Serge Matta (pictured) says he is pleased with 'another quarter of strong revenues and financial performance', and comments: 'Today, one of the toughest challenges for our industry is understanding how, when and where consumers engage with video content across screens. We are solving this challenge. Cross-media is no longer an aspiration at comScore - we are increasingly making it a reality. We will be formally launching our first syndicated Xmedia product later this quarter.'

Web site: www.comscore.com .