Completed Deals

These deals have gone through all the necessary steps and have been completed.

• ILG, Inc. Acquired by Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation

Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE: VAC), a leading timeshare company, has acquired ILG, Inc., a prominent provider of leisure services and vacation experiences, for $4.6 billion. The acquisition will significantly expand Marriott Vacation’s global footprint; the combined company will be the global licensee of seven luxury vacation brands, including Marriott Vacation Club, Grand Residences by Marriott, and The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, among other highly recognizable brands. Together, the companies will include exchange networks and membership programs comprised of nearly 3,200 resorts in over 80 nations and approximately two million members.

Announcements and Updates

These deals have been announced, but they are still subject to varying levels of approval. While it is likely that they will eventually close, there is a chance that they may be called off or altered. There are also updates to previously announced deals.

• Ready Seafood Co. Being Acquired by Premium Brands Holdings Corporation

Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (OTC: PRBZF), a Canadian specialty food maker and distributor, has entered into an agreement to acquire Ready Seafood Co., a leading processor, distributor, and marketer of lobsters. Ready hopes to leverage Premium Brands’ established leadership team, vision, and market position to solidify their long-term viability in the industry. Following the acquisition, which is expected to close in the next four weeks, Premium Brands will expand Ready’s operations across Canada and to the U.S. East coast.

Rumor Mill

This section contains potential deals that are rumored to be in the works, although nothing has been confirmed.

• GameStop is Reportedly Looking to Go Private

Completed Deals

These deals have gone through all the necessary steps and have been completed.

• Flight Plan LLC Acquired by Garmin Ltd.

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) has acquired Flight Plan LLC, one of the largest flight planning companies in the world. Flight Plan’s comprehensive electronic flight planning, scheduling, and trip support services will join Garmin’s already sizable lineup of GPS navigation, communication, and information devices and services. Garmin’s long standing industry leadership experience will help to further expand Flight Plan’s aviation services and geographical reach.

Announcements and Updates

These deals have been announced, but are still subject to varying levels of approval. While it is likely they will eventually close, there is a chance they may be called off or altered. There are also updates to previously announced deals.

• Coca-Cola to Buy Costa Coffee

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) announced that it is buying London-based Costa Coffee Limited, Starbucks’ UK rival, from Whitbread for $5.1 billion. Costa Coffee has about 4,000 locations in different markets around the world with the majority in the UK. The deal will give Coca-Cola a strong retail presence in the UK coffee market and the opportunity to further diversify its soft drink businesses.

• Thom Browne Being Acquired by Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia S.p.A.

Ermenegildo Zegna, the Italian luxury fashion house, has reached an agreement with private equity firm, Sandbridge Capital, to acquire an 85% majority stake in Thom Browne Inc., a New York City-based menswear and womenswear brand, for $500 million. The purchase — the biggest in the history of Ermenegildo Zegna — is a bid to reach new markets, particularly younger customers, as the global luxury industry experiences shake-ups. Following the completion of the acquisition, Thom Browne will remain independently run.

• Reis, Inc. Being Acquired by Moody’s Corporation

Moody’s Corporation (NYSE: MCO), a financial services company that is best known for providing credit ratings and economic-related research, has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of commercial real estate data company, Reis, Inc. (NASDAQ: REIS), for $278 million. The deal will further bolster Moody’s network of data and analytics providers in the commercial real estate market, and is a reflection of their mission to give customers the tools to make financial decisions.

• K2M, Inc. Being Acquired by Stryker Corporation

Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) announced on Thursday that it is buying its rival, K2M Group Holdings Inc., a medical device maker that specializes in spinal implant technology, for $1.4 billion. The acquisition comes at a time when Stryker’s spine unit is struggling, generating only 6% of the company’s total profit. K2M is a small player in the medical device market, dominated by big names such as Johnson & Johnson and Zimmer Biomet. But, the company has been gaining market share rapidly.

Rumor Mill

This section contains potential deals that are rumored to be in the works, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

• Campbell Soup to Sell International Business and Refrigerated-Foods Unit

Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB) announced that it is planning to divest its international and fresh refrigerated-foods units, and has also left open the possibility of selling the remainder of the company, following pressure from hedge fund investors to sell the company outright. Selling these two units, which include the Bolthouse Farms, Garden Fresh, Arnott’s and Kelsen brands, will make Campbell a more attractive acquisition target, as it focuses on its core soup and snack businesses.

Completed Deals  

• Datorama Acquired by Salesforce.com, Inc.

Salesforce.com, Inc. (NYSE: CRM) has completed its acquisition of Israel-based Datorama, Inc. for over $800 million. Datorama is a cloud-based and AI-powered marketing intelligence and analytics provider for enterprises, agencies, and publishers. Salesforce believes that this deal will strengthen its partnership with Google Analytics 360 and enhance its own artificial intelligence engine with expanded data integration and intelligence.

• Flipkart Acquired by Walmart, Inc.

Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) has become the largest shareholder in Flipkart with a $16 billion investment in the e-commerce company. This is the largest e-commerce acquisition in the world. Walmart hopes to leverage its omni-channel retail competency, supply-chain knowledge, and longstanding financial strength to drive the next phase of retail development in India and accelerate the growth of Flipkart. Walmart now holds approximately 77% of Flipkart.

Announcements and Updates 

• Keystone Foods, LLC being Acquired by Tyson Foods, Inc.

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN), the biggest U.S. meat producer, has agreed to acquire meat processor, Keystone Foods, LLC, from Brazil’s Marfrig Global Foods SA for approximately $2.5 billion. Keystone Foods is a leading processed meat supplier to McDonald’s and other chain restaurants and retail stores in the U.S. and Asia. With this acquisition, Tyson will be able to expand its business of selling meat products to fast-food chains and adding meat processing plants to its global network.

• SodaStream International Ltd. being Acquired by PepsiCo, Inc.

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ : PEP) has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of SodaStream International (NASDAQ: SODA), an Israel-based manufacturer of home carbonation products, for $3.2 billion. PepsiCo’s robust distribution processes, global brand recognition, and design and marketing proficiency combined with SodaStream’s unique product range will position SodaStream for greater expansion and innovation. SodaStream’s offerings will join a growing PepsiCo water portfolio amidst a push for the company to focus on healthier snacks and beverages.

Rumor Mill 

• New York Magazine Owner may be Exploring Sale

According to a Wall Street Journal report, New York Media, the owner of New York magazine and several websites, is weighing strategic options that include possibly selling the company.

Completed Deals

These deals have gone through all necessary steps and have been completed.

• AppNexus Inc. Acquired by AT&T Advertising & Analytics

AT&T (NYSE: T) has completed its acquisition of AppNexus, operator of an advertising marketplace, for $1.6 billion. AppNexus will join AT&T Advertising & Analytics. Their ad-tech capabilities will be integrated into AT&T’s ad-supported video businesses, including Turner Networks, Otter Media, and DIRECTV. The acquisition will extend AT&T’s advertising and analytics reach to Asia Pacific, Australia, Europe, and Latin America.

• Vandenberg Inc. Acquired by Douglas Elliman Real Estate

Vandenberg, Inc., experts in the NYC townhouse real estate market, has been acquired by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, the third largest residential real estate brokerage company in the US. Vandenberg’s addition to the Douglas Elliman brand will help to boost its already leading position in the single-family home market. At the same time, Douglas Elliman’s extensive operations will allow Vandenberg to better take advantage of missed business opportunities because of their sole focus on townhouses.

1. Salary.com Acquired Compdata Surveys & Consulting

Salary.com, Inc., a provider of on-demand compensation and talent management solutions, has acquired Compdata Surveys & Consulting, a compensation, benefits, and data consulting firm. The combination of the two companies will create the third largest compensation data company in the U.S. with data from more than 25,000 organizations, 14 industries, and 100 countries.

1. Capella Education Company Merged with Strayer Education

Strayer Education, Inc. has closed its $1.2 billion merger with Capella Education Company to form Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI) (NASDAQ: STRA). The combination brings together two of the largest for-profit education providers in the country and creates a system that serves approximately 85,000 students with improved affordability and better academic outcomes. Both companies will continue to operate independently as separate institutions under SEI.

• Vitals Consumer Services Acquired by WebMD

Internet Brands’ company, WebMD, has acquired Vitals Consumer Services Division from MDx Medical, Inc. The division, which includes Vitals.com and UCompareHealthCare.com, provides consumers with online tools to connect to clinicians and other healthcare providers. The acquisition will also include the MedHelp tool, which acts as a patient-to-patient community platform. WebMD believes that the combination of their online healthcare presence with Vitals’ will generate more than 10 million monthly visits and drive new patients to healthcare provider networks and other health systems. The acquisition comes less than two months after WebMD’s June purchase of Jobson Healthcare Information.

Announcements and Updates

These deals have been announced, but are still subject to varying levels of approval. While it is likely that they will eventually close, there is a chance that they may be called off or altered. There are also updates to previously announced deals.

• AMC Acquiring RLJ Entertainment

AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX) announced that it is acquiring RLJ Entertainment, Inc. for a total of $274 million. RLJ Entertainment is a digital channel company serving distinct audiences with high-quality British and international content via Acorn TV. It is the first subscription video-on-demand service for African Americans via Urban Movie Channel. According to AMC, the acquisition will boost its digital offerings with direct-to-consumer and ad-free subscription services.

• GreatCall Being Acquired by Best Buy

Best Buy Co., Inc., (NYSE: BBY) the largest U.S. consumer electronics retailer, announced that it is acquiring GreatCall, Inc. in a $800 million deal, its biggest acquisition ever. GreatCall makes mobile and connected devices and provides emergency response services to seniors. This will be the second time GreatCall changed its ownership in the last 14 months; it was previously acquired by private equity firm, GTCR, in June 2017. Best Buy currently has a growing business of selling health and wellness devices. This acquisition will further its strategy and address the growing needs of an aging U.S. population.

• MVMT Watches Being Acquired by Movado Group, Inc.

Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE: MOV) has entered into an agreement to acquire MVMT Watches for approximately $100 million. The addition of the MVMT Watches brand, which is popular among Millennials, will enable Movado to advance their digital strategy and strengthen the company’s direct-to-consumer pipeline. MVMT, on the other hand, will profit from Movado’s well-established global infrastructure and distribution network, allowing them to progress into unexplored channels and locations.

• Johnson & Johnson to Acquire Zarbee’s Naturals

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., the consumer health division of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), has reached an agreement to acquire Zarbee’s Naturals. Zarbee’s Naturals is a manufacturer of naturally-based dietary supplements and OTC drugs; it is also famous for its drug-free cough syrup for children. This acquisition could help Johnson & Johnson better reach health-conscious Millennials and it also marks Johnson & Johnson’s entry into the dietary supplement market.

Rumor Mill

This section contains potential deals that are rumored to be in the works, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

• Amazon in Running to Acquire Landmark Theatres

E-commerce giant, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), is reportedly one of many hopefuls vying for Landmark Theatres. Amazon already has a film and TV studio, Amazon Studios, as well as a music service, Amazon Prime Music. But, the Landmark acquisition would give the company an additional outlet to distribute their films; Landmark has more than 50 theaters with 252 screens in 27 markets. The possible acquisition would also mark Amazon’s second meaningful foray into the physical retail space following their acquisition of Whole Foods last year.

• Donerail Group in Talks for Tronc

Sources say that investment firm, Donerail Group, is in talks to acquire Tronc, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRNC), the newspaper publisher whose portfolio includes Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, and The Baltimore Sun. Neither organization has confirmed this news due to the confidential nature of the negotiations. But, if these talks were to evolve into a deal, it would make Tronc the latest US newspaper brand to be taken over by a private equity firm or hedge fund; Nant Capital acquired the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune from Tronc this past June. Tronc is currently the third-largest newspaper publisher in the United States.

Going forward, MediaRadar’s advertising mergers and acquisitions posts will be weekly. Let’s take a look at the completed acquisitions and mergers from the month of July.

Completed Deals

These deals have gone through all necessary steps and have been completed.

• WordStream, Inc. Acquired by Gannet Co., Inc.

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) has completed its acquisition of WordStream, a digital marketing firm that helps businesses improve their paid search and social campaigns, for $130 million. Gannett hopes that the addition of WordStream will help bolster its own digital marketing capabilities.

(More details on Business Wire)

• Fidelis Care Acquired by Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation has completed its acquisition of Fidelis Care, a New York-based health insurance company, for $3.75 billion. The addition of Fidelis Care will give Centene a strong presence in the managed care market in New York state.

(More details on St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

• Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. Merged with Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.

Keurig Green Mountain and Dr Pepper Snapple Group have successfully merged in a deal worth $18.7 billion. The new company, Keurig Dr Pepper (NYSE: KDP), is now the seventh-largest food and beverage company in the nation. The combination of the two powerhouse companies shores up the scale, portfolio, and selling and distribution capabilities of their respective iconic brands, which include soda brands like Dr Pepper, 7UP, and Sunkist as well as coffee brands like Green Mountain Coffee and Keurig, among many others.

• FanDuel Group Acquired by Paddy Power Betfair

Paddy Power Betfair (OTCMKTS: PDYPY) has acquired the daily fantasy sports giant, FanDuel. The combined company is the largest online sports destination in the United States. FanDuel, now operating as FanDuel Group, will be made up of several brands, including FanDuel, TVG Network, Betfair Casino, and DRAFT. The new enterprise will have a presence in 45 US states and reach approximately 8 million customers.

• First Aid Beauty Acquired by the Procter & Gamble Company

American multinational corporation, Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), has acquired prestige skin-care brand, First Aid Beauty, for approximately $250 million. First Aid Beauty joins P&G’s growing list of beauty acquisitions, which includes Olay, SKII, Aussie, and Herbal Essences. Joining P&G will allow First Aid Beauty to further cultivate their global presence and advance their in-house product development capacities. At the same time, it represents P&G’s effort to regain market dominance in the beauty and skincare industry that they lost when they divested 43 of their beauty brands to Coty, Inc. (NYSE: COTY) in 2016.

• Centaur Holdings Acquired by Caesar Entertainment Corporation

Gaming conglomerate, Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), has acquired privately held casino operator, Centaur Holdings, LLC, for $1.7 billion in cash. Caesar’s footprint will expand across the central Indiana region with gaming operations like Hoosier Park Racing & Casino and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino joining its portfolio in the acquisition.

• Taco Del Mar Acquired by High Bluff Capital Partners

Private-investment firm, High Bluff Capital Partners, has acquired the fast and casual Mexican restaurant chain, Taco Del Mar. The acquisition comes less than a month after High Bluff Capital acquired Quiznos. The investment firm believes that Taco Del Mar’s “well-established heritage in the Pacific Northwest” is “an excellent foundation to build upon” with the injection of capital, scale of operations, and management expertise that they can deliver.

• Quartz Media LLC Acquired by Uzabase, Inc.

U.S.-based business news website, Quartz, has been acquired by Japanese financial publishing company, Uzabase, Inc. (TYO: 3966). The acquisition cost between $75 million and $110 million; the final valuation will depend on Quartz’s performance for the full year. As part of the deal, Quartz will assume control of the English version of business news platform, NewsPicks, which launched in the United States as a joint venture with Dow Jones & Co. in mid-2017. For Uzabase, Inc., the current acquisition represents a calculated effort to expand into the US and Europe by leveraging Quartz’s monthly readership of approximately 20 million people.

(More details on Japan Times and Variety)

Completed Deals

These deals have gone through all necessary steps and have been completed.

• Eli Lilly Closes $1.6 Billion Purchase of ARMO Biosciences

Pharma company, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), has acquired ARMO Biosciences, Inc. for $1.6 billion. ARMO is known for its immuno-oncology treatments and its addition to the Lilly portfolio will bolster the company’s cancer treatment drugs pipeline. The acquisition puts them in better standing to compete with major players like Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY).

(More details on Reuters and PR Newswire)

• Aspire Health Acquired by Anthem, Inc.

American health insurance company, Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM), has acquired Aspire Health, a healthcare company specializing in palliative care. Aspire Health will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anthem, while its associates will join Anthem’s Diversified Business Group. The acquisition will help Anthem enhance its medical care business, making it increasingly innovative and unique in combination with their other clinical care operations, which include CareMore Health, AIM Specialty Health, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 14 states.

(More details on BusinessWire)

• AT&T Completes Acquisition of Time Warner

Wasting no time following a federal judge’s decision to allow the deal on June 12th, AT&T closed the $85 billion acquisition ahead of the proposed June 21st deadline. At that time, the Department of Justice declined to file an emergency stay in order to block the deal. However, on Thursday, July 12^th, the Department of Justice announced that it would appeal the federal judge’s approval of the acquisition.

(More details from CBS MoneyWatch and Reuters)

• Fetzer Vineyards Expands with Acquisition of Excelsior Wines

Fetzer Vineyards has acquired the Excelsior Wine Company collection. The inclusion of Excelsior in its portfolio makes Fetzer Vineyards one of the major suppliers of South American wines in the US and the 12th-largest wine marketer in the United States. The portfolio includes wine brands, such as Don Melchor, Marques de Casa Concha, Casillero del Diablo, Frontera labels, and Trivento Reserve.

(More details on PR Newswire)

• Finish Line, Inc. Merged with JD Sports Fashion Plc

Finish Line, Inc. and JD Sports Fashion (LON: JD) have completed their merger. Following the $558 million deal, Finish Line has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of JD Sports, a sports-fashion retail company. The deal will help expand JD Sports’ presence in the US and Puerto Rico.

(More details on Business Wire)

• GitHub, Inc. Acquired by Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) has acquired GitHub, an online code-sharing platform, for $7.5 billion in Microsoft stock. The move comes as part of Microsoft’s aspiration to be the go-to source for all developer needs. Following the acquisition, Microsoft has set up Nat Friedman as the new CEO at GitHub and Microsoft’s corporate vice president.

(More details on TechCrunch)

• Glassdoor Acquired by Recruit Holdings

Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based human resources service company, has acquired jobs and salary website, Glassdoor, for $1.2 billion. Recruit Holdings has acquired a number of notable job recruiting companies in recent years, including Indeed, SimplyHired, and Interviewed. Glassdoor will continue to operate as a distinct and separate entity, aligning it and Indeed as sister companies.

(More details on AIMGroup and HRDive)

• Kroger Finalizes Purchase of Home Chef

The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) has acquired Home Chef, a meal kit and food delivery company, for $200 million, with an additional $500 million in incentives if certain growth and sales milestones are met by Home Chef. Following the acquisition, Home Chef meal kits will be available to Kroger customers, both in stores and online. The acquisition reflects a shift in the grocery market toward omnichannel retailing, or having both a physical and digital retail presence, and mimics Alberston’s acquisition of Plated last year and Blue Apron (NYSE: APRN) making their meal kits available in Costco (NASDAQ: COST) stores.

(More details on Forbes and PR Newswire)

• Live Nation Acquires Red Mountain Entertainment

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) has acquired a majority stake in the concert and festival promoter, Red Mountain Entertainment. Red Mountain, which handles concerts, festivals, and a variety of events and projects, will retain its name and continue to operate on its own.

(More details on Seeking Alpha)

• Monsanto Company Acquired by Bayer AG

German pharmaceutical and life sciences company, Bayer AG (OTCMKTS: BAYRY), has acquired the Monsanto Company (SWX: MOO), an agrochemical and agricultural corporation, for $63 billion. The acquisition, which will double the size of Bayer’s existing agriculture business, propels the already robust company to a leading position in the sector. The Bayer-Monsanto merger is conditioned on the divestiture of agricultural businesses and assets worth about $9 billion to chemical giant BASF (ETR: BAS). For now, Monsanto will operate as an independent subsidiary of Bayer, pending the completion of the divestitures. After that time, Bayer will fully integrate Monsanto’s products into their agricultural portfolio and retire the Monsanto brand name.

(More details on Advancing Together and Seeking Alpha)

• Quiznos Acquired by High Bluff Capital Partners

High Bluff Capital Partners, a California-based private investment firm, has acquired QCE LLC, the parent company of the Quiznos fast-food restaurant chain. In recent years, Quiznos has struggled to turn a profit; the brand filed for bankruptcy in 2014, then recovered, but closed more than 100 franchise locations in 2017. High Bluff Capital is betting on brand recognition to help rebuild the sandwich chain.

(More details on Nation’s Restaurant News)

• Sunlight Supply, Inc. Acquired by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:  SMG), multinational manufacturer of do-it-yourself lawn, garden, and home protection products, has acquired Sunlight Supply, Inc., a hydroponics supplier, for $450 million. Scotts Miracle-Gro plans to combine Sunlight Supply with their previously acquired hydroponics business, Hawthorne Gardening Company, to extend their distribution capabilities far beyond their current state.

(More details on MarketWatch)

• Tate’s Bake Shop Acquired by Mondelez International, Inc.

Mondelez International (NASDAQ:  MDLZ), the conglomerate behind iconic brands like Oreo, Ritz, and Chips Ahoy!, has acquired Tate’s Bake Shop for approximately $500 million. Tate’s, which is known for its natural-baked cookies, will complement Mondelez’s existing biscuits portfolio. Tate’s will continue to operate as an independent business under its current management, but with increased distribution.

(More details on Daily Herald)

• JHI Jobson Healthcare Information Acquired by WebMD Health Corp

WebMD Health Corp., an Internet Brands company, has acquired JHI Jobson Healthcare Information, a healthcare publishing and communication services brand. WebMD was attracted to the company due to its position in the pharmaceutical and optical sectors. Jobson will operate as an independent subsidiary of WebMD and remain headquartered in New York City.

(More details on PR Newswire)

Going forward, MediaRadar’s advertising mergers and acquisitions posts will be weekly. But first, we need to recap the month of May to-date. Let’s take a look at the completed and announced mergers and acquisitions, as well as some rumors and updates in the advertiser and brand space in the month of May.