TechTarget to Expand Scale and Leadership Position in B2B Data and Market Access through Strategic Combination with Informa Tech’s Digital Businesses

TechTarget and Informa PLC, a FTSE-50 UK Group with a leading position in international B2B events, digital services and academic knowledge, today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Informa PLC will combine Informa Tech’s digital businesses with TechTarget to create a leading global platform in B2B Data and Market Access, focused on helping vendors in enterprise technology and other markets accelerate revenue growth. The combined company (“New TechTarget”) is expected to position TechTarget as a unique end-to-end solution provider across the go-to-market: from strategy, messaging and content development to in-market activation via brand, demand generation, purchase intent data and sales enablement. The combination brings scale benefits, diversified revenue streams and strategic expansion opportunities by expanding TechTarget’s current addressable market and enhancing the resilience of its business by increasing its presence in new markets and new buyer personas.

Informa PLC will contribute its Informa Tech digital businesses and $350 million of cash in exchange for a 57% stake in the combined company. The $350 million of cash, or approximately $11.79 per outstanding TechTarget share, will be paid to existing TechTarget shareholders upon completion of the transaction. Existing TechTarget shareholders will also retain a 43% equity stake in New TechTarget, allowing them to participate in the long-term value creation of the combined company. The businesses being contributed from Informa Tech consist of:

• Omdia, the fourth largest technology research firm;
• Industry Dive, a leading provider of specialist content to decision makers with 37 websites across vertical B2B markets;
• A portfolio of specialist industry-leading digital media brands, including InformationWeek, Light Reading, Dark Reading, Network Computing and AI Business;
• NetLine, a leading intent driven Lead Generation Platform; and
• Access to IIRIS, Informa PLC’s proprietary B2B data platform, taking New TechTarget’s total B2B audience to ~50 million.

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“The addition of Informa Tech’s digital businesses has the ability to accelerate TechTarget’s strategic roadmap by allowing it to continue to innovate leading products, offer customers end-to-end solutions and grow profitably and create a platform to complete meaningful strategic acquisitions,” said Gregory Strakosch, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of TechTarget. “Following a robust evaluation by the Board of Directors of strategic alternatives focused on enhancing shareholder value, the Board unanimously believes the proposed transaction is highly attractive to our shareholders, providing immediate cash value as well as the opportunity to continue to participate in the long-term value-creation of a larger, more diversified and stronger combined company.”

“Today we significantly strengthen Informa’s position in the growing B2B Digital Services market, creating a platform to serve B2B customers at scale digitally, as we already do in Live & On-Demand B2B Events,” said Stephen Carter, Informa PLC Group Chief Executive. “Over the last three years, Informa has built a proprietary first-party data platform, IIRIS, and expanded our position in the B2B Digital Services market. Now, through a majority shareholding in US-listed TechTarget, we are positioning this business firmly where the customers and the value are.”

SOURCE: Businesswire