The Impact of Private Equity on Information Markets

The publishing and information business market has seen unprecedented levels of investment and increasingly high valuations, led by private equity firms. This report examines what makes publishing businesses so attractive, what criteria private equity investors use to evaluate potential investments, and how publishing marketplaces may change as more businesses come under private equity ownership. The report offers:

- Analysis of the challenges currently facing private equity;
- Characteristics and criteria that private investors look for in evaluating potential investments;
- 10 key private equity firms in the media and information marketplace, and examples of recent transactions;
- Case studies of two recent deals and Outsell’s opinion on possible exit strategies;
- Essential actions for leadership teams in publishers looking to make their business attractive to private equity;
- Specific considerations for leadership broken out by major functional areas: Sales, Marketing, Technology/Content Development, Finance, and HR.