Relevant Document:Kantar Results
HIG, Trilantic, Exponent and Triton are circling the carve-out of Kantar Public, sources told Reorg. Data consultancy firm Kantar is working with Rothschild to divest its public policy division and the second round of bids is due on Nov. 26.
Kantar Public provides public policy advisory to governments, NGO and corporations and is expected to sell for around £200 million. The asset has a marketed EBITDA of about £20 million and direct lenders are in talks with potential bidders about putting together a debt package aimed at supporting Kantar Public’s growth.
The divestment, known as Project Pearl, is part of Kantar’s push to streamline its operations and sell some subsidiaries in an effort to reduce net debt, sources said. Kantar previously
announced in August that it decided to sell its Reputation Intelligence business to software investor Symphony Technology Group. The data company also
sold its global health division to Cerner in an all-cash transaction of $375 million in December 2020.
Kantar Public’s revenue rose 45.8% year over year to £105 million in the six months to June 30. Management said the growth was driven by research around Covid-19 in support of the U.K. NHS home testing program as well as the return to face-to-face fieldwork following the pandemic outbreak.
The advisory group was founded in 2016 and it provides consultancy, data and analytics on subjects including political polling, election research and behavioral insights. Kantar Public is based in London and has offices across APAC, Africa, Europe and North America.
Triton and Rothschild declined to comment. HIG, Trilantic, Exponent and Kantar did not respond to Reorg’s request for comment.
--Lara Gibson