Certainly a weird exit: consumer data powerhouse Experian has snapped up online traffic monitoring and analysis firm Hitwise for $240 million. Hitwise will continue to operate as a standalone business, reports ClickZ. The “most immediate opportunities” for expansion as a result of the acquisition are cross-selling to Experian’s wider client base and branching out service to new locales, the company said.
Experian created an interactive division in 2005, and at the time purchased lead-gen advertiser LowerMyBills.com. The firm also purchased shopping comparison engine PriceGrabber.com later that year. The company bought e-mail marketing firm CheetahMail in 2004.
Thomson: Hitwise, with over 1,200 clients, is expected to post a small profit for the year to March 31, 2007 as sales surges 50 percent to about $40 million. Experian expects Hitwise to grow sales by more than 40 percent in the year to March 2008 and post earnings before amortization of acquisition intangibles of $12-15 million.
Guardian: Set up in 1998, the company monitors website performance, collecting information from ISPs on how over 25 million consumers use and search the internet. It reports on almost 1 million websites each day. The information is sold to companies who market their services online. Hitwise has some 1,200 clients, including HSBC, AXA, Google, eBay, CBS News, Ask.com, Ikea, MTV and Qantas.
More details in release.
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