NetRatings Buys RedSheriff

NetRatings has acquired a majority interest in Internet audience measurement specialists RedSheriff. The deal will help Nielsen//NetRatings to satisfy industry demand for integrated panel-centric and site-centric measurement solutions.

Under the terms of the agreement signed by NetRatings and RedSheriff's majority shareholder, Morgan Grenfell Private Equity Limited, as manager of various funds of Deutsche Equity Partners IV (MGPE), NetRatings has acquired MGPE's 58 percent stake in RedSheriff for approximately $12 million in cash. RedSheriff's shareholders agreement requires NetRatings to offer to purchase all remaining RedSheriff shares through a process expected to extend through the end of January 2004. NetRatings anticipates purchasing additional shares and is prepared to acquire 100% of the company.

RedSheriff, with headquarters in New York and Sydney, has more than 500 clients for services including Customer Intelligence, a browser-based audience measurement tool; Market Intelligence, census-based rankings of a company's positioning within the industry and relative to its competitors; and customized research, analysis and consultation on company Web sites. The company has 63 employees and 12-month trailing revenues of approximately $7.5 million through Sept. 30, 2003.

'We are delighted to be adding RedSheriff's market-leading product suite to the Nielsen//NetRatings product portfolio', said William Pulver, President and CEO, NetRatings. 'Our clients have been calling for increased clarity around the metrics provided by panel-centric and site-centric research to support the growth of online advertising. Nielsen//NetRatings, with a track record of providing high quality and innovative panel-based solutions, and RedSheriff, with a heritage of delivering advanced insights based on patented page-tagging technology, are uniquely positioned to support the needs of the industry'.

RedSheriff's CEO Richard Webb commented, 'RedSheriff is excited to be joining Nielsen//NetRatings, with whom we share a common entrepreneurial spirit and a history of innovation in Internet audience measurement. Nielsen//NetRatings' comprehensive product set, innovative methodologies and strong financial position provide RedSheriff with an outstanding platform for continued growth'.

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

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