RBmedia has acquired German audiobook publisher ABOD, which will supply titles to its newly launched German-language audio brand RBmedia Verlag. ABOD licenses and produces audio titles from German publishers, focusing on nonfiction, primarily politics and economics. ABOD founder and ceo Rudi Singer, said, “Since founding ABOD in 2012, I have put much work and care into building a first-rate audio catalog. With RBmedia’s vision, I am confident that we will see these efforts continue to gain momentum.” Chicago Review Press has acquired LGBTQ+ fiction publisher Interlude Press, including a catalog of nearly 100 titles, and its YA imprint Duet Books. […]
M&A
2021: The Year In Mergers
It was a blockbuster year for mergers and acquisitions, even with the headline-making lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice to try to block Penguin Random House‘s deal to acquire Simon & Schuster. Prospective sellers across the publishing landscape read the environment and made big deals, often at healthy multiples. With growing sales, strong profits, and impressive resales, publishing is actually looking investable to a wider range of players. And there was plenty of notable activity beyond the roster of straight acquisitions. Scholastic experienced a dramatic change in control following the abrupt death of Dick Robinson, and surprising designation of […]
Acquisitions: Dark Horse Media Agrees to Sale to Embracer Group
Swedish video game holding company Embracer Group plans to buy comic book publisher and entertainment company Dark Horse Media, in a deal that is expected to close next year. Dark Horse’s 300 intellectual properties include The Mask, Time Cop, Father’s Day, and Ghost and it licenses Star Wars, Avatar the Last Airbender, Stranger Things, Witcher, and more. It also owns a retail business called Things From Another World selling graphic novels, comic books, and collectibles. Eighty percent of the shares of Dark Horse will be acquired from a Chinese investor, and the remaining 20 percent are from founder and CEO Mike Richardson […]
Acquisitions: ABC-CLIO to Bloomsbury, Wuxiaworld to Radish
Bloomsbury has acquired academic publisher ABC-CLIO for $22.9 million (£17.3 million). ABC-CLIO will become part of Bloomsbury’s Academic and Professional division within Bloomsbury USA. In 2020, ABC-CLIO reported sales of $14.7 million (£11.5 million), and profit before tax of $1.2 million (£0.9 million). Outside of integration and acquisition costs, the company is expected to add £2.1 million in revenue and £0.3 million in profit before tax to Bloomsbury’s current fiscal year, which ends on February 28. “ABC-CLIO is a strong addition to Bloomsbury USA, our Academic and Professional division and Bloomsbury Digital Resources,” Bloomsbury ceo Nigel Newton said. “This acquisition […]
Once Again, RR Donnelly Agrees to Buyout By Atlas Holdings — and Then Receives A Higher Bid
After a bidding war that included increased offers from both Chatham Asset Management and an unidentified “strategic party,” on Thursday RR Donnelly said it has accepted a revised bid by Atlas Holdings at $10.35 a share (or $856 million in cash for the equity). The proposed deal will be sent to a shareholder vote — though the market indicated it expects still more action. After the close of the market yesterday, Chatham announced another higher offer of $10.85 a share, though the bid expires on December 13. While the board has seemed inclined to pair with Atlas since accepting an […]
Vivendi Moves Up Timetable and Will Launch Tender Offer to Acquire Lagardere
Though Vivendi was previously awaiting regulatory approval from the French government for their acquisition of Amber Capital’s 17.5 percent stake in Lagardere — originally expecting the deal to close by December 15 — the company has decided it does not need to wait any longer. “Recent analyses carried out by Vivendi have led the company to consider that this acquisition could take place now since, in accordance with applicable rules on the control of concentrations.” Vivendi says it will not exercise the voting rights attached to Amber shares “until the approvals required for the acquisition of the control of Lagardère […]