eCommerce/Retail

Wonder Group, a delivery-focused food hall operator, has agreed to acquire Grubhub from Just Eat Takeaway.com for $650 million. The deal, comprising $150 million in cash and $500 million in senior notes, is expected to close in Q1/2025. Wonder plans to integrate Grubhub’s platform, which connects 375,000 merchants across 4,000 U.S. cities, to enhance its super app for meal ordering. This acquisition comes as Wonder raises $250 million to support its growth and follows its 2023 purchase of Blue Apron. Grubhub continues to face market challenges, with declining share and ongoing profitability concerns. [more]

We have written a 10-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management (DCM) after it acquired Zavy Limited, a New Zealand-based provider of social media analytics. This acquisition enables DCM to expand its MarTech offerings, enhancing capabilities in social media performance analytics, audience sentiment, and data-driven marketing. Zavy’s platform provides tools like social media benchmarking and AI-driven insights, aligning with DCM’s strategic goals to shift towards digital solutions. The acquisition also allows DCM to extend Zavy’s services to North American markets, meeting the demand for social media analytics among both large enterprises and small to medium-sized businesses. [more]

We have written a 17-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management (DCM) after it released Q2/2024 financials. DCM is a Canadian-based communications and marketing solutions provider. Revenue increased 5.7% to $125.8 million, though below our estimate due to deferred client projects. The company remains focused on completing the integration of Moore Canada Corporation by year-end and achieving annualized cost savings of $30 to $35 million. DCM‘s strategic initiatives target improved gross margins and revenue growth, particularly through technology-enabled solutions, including its new Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution called ASMBL. Focused on the merger integration, DCM reported a 22.2% increase in Adjusted EBITDA to $16.9 million. [more]

We have written a 16-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management (DCM) after it released Q1/2024. DCM is a Canadian-based communications and marketing solutions provider. Revenue increased to $129.3 million in Q1/2024, up 69.9% from $76.1 million in Q1/2023, but lower than our estimate of $139.0 million. Revenue fell short of expectations mainly because several projects from larger clients were postponed to later quarters this year. DCM reported Adjusted EBITDA of $18.7 million in Q1/2024, an increase of 46.2% from $12.8 million in the same quarter last year. The EBITDA growth reflects the positive impact of the MCC acquisition and ongoing efforts to improve margins and reduce expenses. [more]

Permira Advisers is acquiring Squarespace Inc. (NYSE: SQSP) in a $6.99 billion all-cash transaction, reflecting a premium to the market price and comps. This deal, endorsed by the board, signifies a shift for Squarespace towards enhanced strategic flexibility away from public market pressures. With an EV/Revenue multiple exceeding the mid-cap SaaS sector average, the acquisition underscores Squarespace‘s market position and growth potential. [more]

We have written a 17-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management (DCM) after it released Q4/2023 and 2023 financial results. DCM is a Canadian-based communications and marketing solutions provider. Revenue increased to $130.0 million in Q4/2023, up 77.9% from Q4/2022, and in-line with our estimate of $131.0 million. For the full year, Revenue hit $447.7 million, up 63.5% from 2022, and in-line with our estimate of $448.8 million. The Adjusted EBITDA for 2023 was $53.4 million, a 30.3% increase from the previous year. The Revenue and EBITDA growth were mainly attributable to the acquisition of Moore Canada Corporation, which closed in Q2/2023. The report provides an overview of DCM‘s financial results, strategic directions for 2024, and our financial estimates and target price calculations. [more]

We have written a 12-page Update Report on DATA Communications Management, a Canadian-based communications and marketing solutions provider that offers comprehensive online and offline communications and marketing solutions to businesses. The report highlights how STG Partners’ acquisition of MediaValet Inc. for $79 million showcases a favorable valuation trend for Canadian SaaS and DAM sectors. DCM’s valuation could benefit as it enhances its SaaS offerings and focuses on a Print-to-Digital transition. The Company has also successfully completed a series of sale and leaseback transactions, raising $37.8 million, and aiding in debt reduction. DCM’s recognition in the 2024 OTCQX Best 50 underscores its market performance and strategic positioning. We are maintaining our price target and recommendation. [more]

In this short video, Chris Thompson of eResearch explores the Canadian ICT sector’s M&A dynamics, focusing on the strategic use of roll-up strategies by leading companies. The report provides an in-depth analysis of companies like Constellation Software and Ciscom Corp., showcasing how they leverage acquisitions to fuel growth and expand their market presence. Learn about the factors driving M&A activity in Canada and why ICT companies are prime targets for consolidation. Download our detailed 22-page report for an insider’s look at the Canadian ICT M&A industry. [more]