A takeover would signal faith in network audience measurement despite rise of streaming video services
Television ratings group Nielsen is nearing a $15bn deal to be acquired by a consortium of private equity buyers led by Elliott Management and Brookfield Asset Management in what would be the largest company takeover since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
While financing costs are rising because of rising interest rates and greater volatility, the market remains open for big leveraged buyouts. In March, a consortium of Advent International, Permira and Crosspoint Capital completed the more than $14bn takeover of McAfee, just days after Russia’s invasion.
Elliott, which first invested in Nielsen in 2018, had earlier forced the media data company to explore a sale which attracted multiple bids from private equity groups, including one led by Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman and another from Chicago-based Madison Dearborn.
Read more: FT
