Global business and consumer information provider Experian has acquired Internet marketing and performance information firm Hitwise for approximately $240 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.
Hitwise, founded in 1998, gathers and aggregates data from Internet service providers on how more than 25 million consumers use and search the Internet in the U.S., U.K., Australia and other countries. The firm uses proprietary technology to report on nearly 1 million web sites every day and sells this information, typically used for benchmarking and advertising strategies, to companies that market products and services online.
“We have been repositioning our marketing solutions business to meet our clients’ needs as they continue to switch more of their advertising spend online,” says Don Robert, CEO of Experian, which owns PriceGrabber.com Inc. and CheetahMail. “Hitwise, which is a rapidly growing, successful business, brings new, unique data to Experian and complements existing data, tools and expertise we already offer to clients in other areas such as research services and e-mail distribution.”
Hitwise has more than 1,200 clients across numerous sectors including retail, financial services, media and travel. Clients include Google, eBay, ask.com and IKEA. 43% of the firm’s sales are generated in the U.S., 36% in the U.K. and 21% from Australia and Asia Pacific countries.
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