juvenile publisher

closed 1/31/2019 via BNC Analysis

Storytel AB, acquired Ztory

See 3470 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Storytel, a Sweden-based digital subscription service for audio books, has acquired Ztory, a Swedish subscription service for digital magazines and newspapers. Ztory provides readers with an ever growing collection of magazines, newspapers, and children's book that they can access from their web browser or mobile device.
buyer: Storytel AB (NGM:STORY B:$334.93)
Storytel AB is a digital subscription service that streams audio books for mobile phones. It offers audio and e-books for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices in Swedish and English under the Storytel brand. The company based in Stockholm, Sweden. "
 target: Ztory
Founded in 2013, Ztory is a Swedish subscription service for digital magazines and newspapers. Ztory provides readers with an ever growing collection of magazines, newspapers, and children's book that they can access from their web browser or mobile device.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
$1
EBITDA ($mm)
EV / rev
0.0x
EV / EBITDA
closed 11/21/2018 via GlobeNewswire

Audax Group, acquired PlayMonster

See 88 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Audax Group has acquired PlayMonster, a leading manufacturer and distributor of family toys, games, preschool toys, creative activities and teaching tools, from Topspin Partners, a suburban NY-based private equity fund focused on the lower middle-market.
buyer: Audax Group
Audax Group was founded in 1999 by Geoff Rehnert and Marc Wolpow with the vision of building an investment platform to provide capital for middle market companies. Audax Group manages approximately $13 billion of assets across its private equity, mezzanine debt, and private senior debt businesses. "
 target parent: Topspin Partners
target: PlayMonster
PlayMonster, headquartered in Beloit, WI, is a leading manufacturer and distributor of family toys, games, preschool toys, creative activities and teaching tools. Top-selling brands include 5 Second Rule®, Perplexus™ Don’t Rock the Boat™, Farkle, The Game of THINGS…®, Mirari®, Buzzword® and more.
price ($mm)
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EV / rev
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closed 8/4/2014 via PR Newswire

LeapFrog, acquired KidZui

See 30 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc., the leader in children's educational entertainment, announced that it has acquired KidZui, the leading kid-friendly internet browser. Created in 2006, the KidZui technology offers a kid-safe web experience and currently powers LeapSearch on all LeapFrog Wi-Fi enabled children's tablets.
buyer: LeapFrog (LF:$222.94)
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. is the leader in educational entertainment for children. For nearly 20 years, LeapFrog has created award-winning learning solutions that combine educational expertise, innovative technology and a child's love for fun. "
 target parent: Saban Capital Group
target: KidZui
KidZui is the leading kid-friendly internet browser. Created in 2006, the KidZui technology offers a kid-safe web experience. Once downloaded, KidZui provides kids access to millions of pre-loaded kid-friendly websites, YouTube videos, online games, and pictures.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
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EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
announced 11/28/2013 via PR Newswire

DHX Media Ltd., will purchase 3 TV Channels from Bell Media

See 162 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Halifax-based DHX Media Ltd. for the sale of its television services Family Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior (English-language), and Disney Junior (French-language).
buyer: DHX Media Ltd. (TSX:DHX.B:$318.42)
DHX Media is an international leader in television production and distribution, interactive content and entertainment licensing. DHX Kids and Wildbrain Entertainment focus on children, family and youth markets while DHX Entertainment focuses on primetime programming. "
 seller parent: BCE, Inc.
seller: Bell Media
Bell Media's television service Family Channel is the most-viewed children’s channel in Canada. Disney XD, and Disney Junior are digital cable and satellite television channels.
price ($mm)
$161
rev ($mm)
$81
EBITDA ($mm)
$27
EV / rev
2.0x
EV / EBITDA
5.9x
closed 7/11/2013 via BNC Analysis

Dutch Media Uitgevers, acquired The House of Books BV

See 166 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Dutch Media Uitgevers, which has published for authors like Arnon Grunberg, Carry Slee and Heleen van Royen, has acquired The House of Books. The House of Books is an internationally oriented publishing house offering successful fiction, non-fiction and children and youth issues.
buyer: Dutch Media Uitgevers
Dutch Media Uitgevers is a publishing house that focuses on children's books, fiction and non-fiction. Dutch Media Uitgevers offers authors and illustrators a publishing house which they have sole control over their work. "
 target: The House of Books BV
The House of Books is an international publishing house offering successful fiction, non-fiction and children and youth issues. The House of Books has offices in the Netherlands and Flanders, Belgium.
price ($mm)
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closed 1/14/2013 via BNC Analysis

Discovery Communications, Inc., acquired Switchover Media

See 219 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Discovery Communications has acquired Italy's Switchover Media, a rapidly growing local player that has four free-to-air channels and one pay TV channel, making Discovery the third-largest Italo TV player in terms of audience share.
buyer: Discovery Communications, Inc. (DISC.A:$12,191.00)
Discovery Communications is the world's number 1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 209 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity through 149 worldwide television networks. "
 target: Switchover Media
Switchover Media, which was launched in 2009 by Francesco Nespega, operates successful kiddie channels K2 and Frisbee on DT, provides male skewed GXT to Sky Italia, and in 2012 launched scripted crime channel Giallo, and factual channel Focus.
price ($mm)
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EV / EBITDA
closed 7/11/2012 via BNC Analysis

Mind Candy, acquired Origami Blue

See 179 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Mind Candy announced they acquired games studio Origami Blue to launch thier new innovation centre ‘Candy Labs’ down in Brighton. Candy Labs will be a research and development studio that experiments with new ideas of entertainment for children. The ideas will be a mix of digital and non-digital entertaiment.
buyer: Mind Candy
Mind Candy is an entertainment company that creates extraordinary brands with online games at their heart. "
 target: Origami Blue
Origami Blue is a games studio based in Brighton, UK.
price ($mm)
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closed 7/6/2022 via Publishers Weekly

Cardinal Rule Press, Inc., acquired Bucket Fillers, Inc.

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Children’s book publisher Cardinal Rule Press has doubled in size after its acquisition of the assets of Bucket Fillers, a children’s publisher headquartered in Venice, Fla., that also publishes puzzles and educational materials, including multimedia teaching tools. Bucket Fillers will become an imprint of Cardinal Rule.
buyer: Cardinal Rule Press, Inc.
Founded in 2015, Cardinal Rule’s mission is to publish high-quality children’s literature that empowers children through timeless messages of hope, courage, and the Golden Rule. Cardinal Rule, which publishes four titles each year, has 25 titles in print. "
 target: Bucket Fillers, Inc.
Bucket Fillers is a children’s publisher that also makes puzzles and educational materials, including multimedia teaching tools. Launched in 2006, Bucket Fillers’s mission is to help all ages grow in kindness, self-control, resilience, and forgiveness.
price ($mm)
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closed 3/16/2022 via Company Press Release

Sourcebooks, acquired DuoPress LLC

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Sourcebooks, a top ten entrepreneurial U.S. publisher and largest woman-owned book publisher in North America, has acquired duopress, a minority-owned independent publisher of innovative, high-quality, and affordable books and gifts. As part of the deal, Sourcebooks acquires more than one hundred duopress titles and products.
buyer: Sourcebooks
Sourcebooks is a thriving entrepreneurial company that brings extraordinary authors to readers in the most dynamic, data-driven ways. They create books that transcend categories and defy odds, and have been honored with hundreds of national bestsellers and awards. "
 target parent: Workman Publishing Co.
target: DuoPress LLC
DuoPress is a minority-owned, independent publishing company. They publish children’s books and gift books for all ages, as well as puzzles, flashcards, and games for kids. DuoPress collaborates with publishing professionals in more than five countries and across the United States.
price ($mm)
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closed 3/3/2022 via Company Press Release

Union Square & Co., LLC, acquired Boxer Books Limited

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Union Square & Co. has acquierd Boxer Books, PLC, an independent London-based children’s publisher dedicated to picture books for children up to age 7. This acquisition includes more than 200 backlist titles and dozens of frontlist projects that will broaden the Union Square & Co. list in the infant and toddler space.
buyer parent: Elliott Management Corp.
buyer: Union Square & Co., LLC
Union Square & Co. is a talent-driven publisher whose mission is to promote excellence in contemporary publishing and to honor the vision of its creators by providing best-in-class production, editorial and design choices. "
 target: Boxer Books Limited
Boxer Books is a small, wholly independent London-based children’s publishing business. They specialize in publishing creative picture books and board books for children aged up to 7, from emerging and established worldwide authors and illustrators.
price ($mm)
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closed 7/28/2021 via PE Hub

Graphite Capital, acquired Wonderbly

See 155 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Graphite Capital, a leading UK mid-market private equity specialist, has acquired London-based Wonderbly, the world’s leading publishing platform for personalised children’s books. As a digital, direct-to-consumer publisher, Wonderbly sells its books in over 150 countries, and sold more than one million books in 2020.
buyer: Graphite Capital
Graphite is a specialist provider of private equity finance to mid-market companies in the UK. Graphite has backed management teams in more than 100 companies across a wide range of sectors, delivering strong returns for its investors through all stages of the economic cycle. "
 target: Wonderbly
Based in the UK, Wonderbly is the world’s leading publishing platform for personalised children’s books. They conceive, design, promote, sell, and make books for customers all over the world. Since its inception, Wonderbly has shipped over 6.5 million books to over 150 countries.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
EBITDA ($mm)
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EV / EBITDA
closed 5/13/2020 via BNC Analysis

Trustbridge Partners, acquired Walker Books (UK)

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Forty-year-old independent Walker Books has been acquired by global children's content company Trustbridge Global Media, owned by private equity firm Trustbridge Partners. Walker is the world's leading employee-owned, independent British publisher of children's books.
buyer: Trustbridge Partners
Trustbridge Partners is a leading growth equity investor based in Shanghai. The firm focuses on high-quality growth opportunities in China. Trustbridge manages approximately $8 billion in assets from an investor base that includes university endowments, pension funds and strategic industry partners."
 target: Walker Books (UK)
Walker is the world's leading employee-owned, independent British publisher of children's books. Walker Books is renowned for its truly original publishing and outstanding quality. Home to books for all ages, Walker Books publishes many award-winning authors, illustrators and brands.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
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EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
announced 4/8/2020 via Company Press Release

Harper Collins Publishers Limited, will purchase UK and Poland Children's Books Business from Egmont Publishing

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Egmont Publishing announced that it has been agreed to sell the children’s books businesses in the UK and Poland together with Schneiderbuch in Germany, another children's books publisher, to HarperCollins.
buyer parent: News Corporation
buyer: Harper Collins Publishers Limited
HarperCollins Publishers is the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. HarperCollins has publishing operations in 17 countries. With more than 120 branded imprints around the world, HarperCollins publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 16 languages. "
 seller parent: Egmont Foundation
seller: Egmont Publishing
The acquisition includes the Egmont children’s books businesses in the UK and Poland as well as Schneiderbuch in Germany, another children's books publisher. Egmont Publishing is the UK’s leading specialist children’s publisher for babies to teens.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
EBITDA ($mm)
EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
closed 3/4/2020 via BNC Analysis

Boyds Mills & Kane, acquired minedition

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Boyds Mills & Kane, a publisher of illustrated titles for children ages 3 to 11, has acquired a majority stake in minedition, an international children's book publisher that specializes in picture books. minedition publishes high quality picture books that help children to develop a deeper appreciation for the world and expand their dreams.
buyer parent: Thinkingdom Media Group Ltd.
buyer: Boyds Mills & Kane
Boyds Mills & Kane is a publisher of illustrated titles for children ages 3 to 11. Boyds Mills & Kane offers fictional and nonfictional stories that help children improve their literacy skills. Their books feature clever plots, appealing characters and kid-sized dilemmas that children can relate to."
 target: minedition
minedition is an international children's book publisher that specializes in picture books. minedition publishes high quality picture books that help children to develop a deeper appreciation for the world, expand their dreams and learn how to respect the environment, others and themselves.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
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EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
announced 11/13/2019 via Publishers Weekly

Penguin Random House, will acquire Eric Carle LLC

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Penguin Random House, a multinational conglomerate publishing company formed from the merger of Random House and Penguin Group, will acquire Eric Carle LLC, a company that manages the author Eric Carle’s books and has grown to include live children’s theater adaptions, interactive apps, direct-to-retail license and food- and beverage-licensing.
buyer parent: Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA
buyer: Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House is an American multinational conglomerate publishing company formed in 2013 from the merger of Random House and Penguin Group. Penguin Random House is the world's largest English language trade publisher, bringing people the best in fiction, nonfiction, and children's books. "
 target: Eric Carle LLC
Eric Carle LLC manages the author Eric Carle’s books. The brand has grown to include live children’s theater adaptions, interactive apps, direct-to-retail license and “good for you” food- and beverage-licensing, making it one of the biggest book-based preschool brands in the world.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
EBITDA ($mm)
EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
closed 8/21/2019 via BNC Analysis

Phoenix Labs, acquired Bot School

See 131 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Phoenix Labs, the Vancouver-based studio founded under the principle of creating new AAA multiplayer experiences for gamers, has acquired Bot School, a game and platform developer that creates games that are effective and approachable at introducing coding concepts.
buyer: Phoenix Labs
Headquartered in Canada, Phoenix Labs is an independent game studio. They were founded under the principle of creating new AAA multiplayer experiences for gamers to create lasting, memorable relationships for years to come. "
 target: Bot School
Bot School is a game and platform developer. They create games that are effective and approachable at introducing coding concepts, fun enough that kids would want to keep playing it on their own, and designed to be safe and secure so parents don’t have to worry.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
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EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
closed 7/17/2019 via BusinessWire

Groupe M6, acquired Gulli

See 154 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Groupe M6, a French television and multimedia group, has acquired the entire share capital of the companies that make up Lagardère’s Television Business, including Gulli, a French free-to-air television channel focused on kids programming.
buyer parent: Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA
buyer: Groupe M6 (ENXTPA:MMT:$1,509.17)
Groupe M6 is a French television and multimedia group built around M6, a free-to-air commercial TV channel that is renowned for being innovative, daring and positive. The group offers a wide range of programmes, products and services on a variety of media devices: television, internet and mobile. "
 target parent: Lagardère SCA
target: Gulli
The acquisition includes all of Lagardère’s Television Business, including Gulli, a French free-to-air television channel focused on kids programming. It was created as a result of a partnership between Lagardère Active and state-owned broadcaster France Télévisions.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
EBITDA ($mm)
EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
closed 5/10/2019 via BNC Analysis

NetFlix, acquired StoryBots

See 231 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Netflix has acquired StoryBots, the children’s media brand created by brothers Gregg and Evan Spiridellis. In addition, the Spiridellis have entered into an overall deal with Netflix to expand the preschool entertainment and educational franchise into new areas.
buyer: NetFlix (NFLX:$29,697.84)
Netflix is the world's leading Internet entertainment platform with 104 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime and anywhere."
 target: StoryBots
Founded in 2012, StoryBots was created to engage children, ages 3-to-8, through interactive, educationally-themed and personalized books, videos, games, music and more, and leverages its Starring You feature to put the child at the center of each learning experience.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
EBITDA ($mm)
EV / rev
EV / EBITDA
closed 4/10/2019 via Publishers Weekly

Jump!, acquired Bearport Publishing

See 663 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Minneapolis-based children’s publisher Jump! has acquired Bearport Publishing. Bearport has a backlist of 1,050 curriculum-aligned books for children in grades PreK-8. Through the deal, Jump! has acquired all Bearport assets, staff, and customer contracts.
buyer: Jump!
Jump! publishes children’s nonfiction with a focus on curriculum-aligned subjects for emergent through early-fluent readers. Their books combine vibrant colors with captivating photography and corresponding text to draw readers into the subject and encourage reading success. "
 target: Bearport Publishing
Bearport Publishing develops curriculum-aligned books for children in grades PreK-8. They focus on topics that appeal to young readers and pay close attention to text length, vocabulary, and picture-text match, to make their books less intimidating and more inviting to kids.
price ($mm)
rev ($mm)
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EV / rev
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closed 4/1/2019 via BNC Analysis

Penguin Random House, acquired Little Tiger Group

See 143 Comparable Transactions
synopsis: Penguin Random House (PRH) has acquired 30-year-old children's indie Little Tiger Group. Little Tiger CEO and co-founder Monty Bhatia will continue to run the business as a stand-alone company within PRH. Little Tiger, founded in London in 1987, publishes over 200 new books a year and has a 1000-strong backlist.
buyer parent: Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA
buyer: Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House, the largest publishing group in the world, is devoted to the goal of nurturing a universal passion for reading, bringing authors and their works in touch with readers across the globe. Penguin Random House is present on 5 continents with about 250 labels and independent brands."
 target: Little Tiger Group
Little Tiger, founded by Monty and Kuki Bhatia in London in 1987, publishes over 200 new books a year and has a 1000-strong backlist. It has grown an international presence, selling its books around the world, including via its US operation Tiger Tales. Little Tiger specializes in children's books.
price ($mm)
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Pages:  

juvenile publisher


read more

Ztory

PlayMonster

KidZui

Bell Media

The House of Books BV

Switchover Media

Origami Blue

Bucket Fillers, Inc.

DuoPress LLC

Boxer Books Limited

Wonderbly

Walker Books (UK)

Egmont Publishing

minedition

Eric Carle LLC

Bot School

Gulli

StoryBots

Bearport Publishing

Little Tiger Group

Pages:  
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