Ipsos has revealed that it is in talks to acquire London-based Kantar Media. This clarification comes after a Reuters story that said Ipsos was draughting a legally binding bid for Kantar's TV ratings data business.
Ipsos warned that "there can be no certainty that any offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any such offer might be made," but according to industry sources, the deal might be worth more than $1.05 billion.
Ipsos, which is valued at 1.9 billion euros and is well-known worldwide for its political surveys and consumer market research, would make a big move with the acquisition.
The advertising multinational WPP (WPP.L) and U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital jointly own 60 per cent and 40 per cent of Kantar Media, respectively.
Citi analysts pointed out that WPP views Kantar as an "investment" and that any transaction would probably raise concerns about shareholder returns.
Ipsos' shares dropped more than 2 per cent by 0815 GMT on Monday, hitting their lowest level in almost a year, despite the acquisition's potential for development.
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