Adobe buys out TubeMogul for US$540 million

Adobe has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TubeMogul for approximately US$540 million net of debt and cash. Under the terms of the agreement, Adobe will commence a cash tender offer to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of TubeMogul for US$14 per share.TubeMogul CEO Brett Wilson will continue to lead the TubeMogul team as part of Adobe’s Digital Marketing business. Adobe and TubeMogul share a long list of joint customers that will benefit from the integration of TubeMogul into Marketing Cloud solutions. These include Allstate, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, Liberty Mutual, L’Oréal, Nickelodeon and Southwest Airlines.Adobe, in a press statement, claims that the acquisition of TubeMogul will create the first end-to-end independent advertising and data management solution that spans TV and digital formats, simplifying what has been a complex and fragmented process for the world’s biggest brands. TubeMogul has been a strong player in video advertising, with a single platform that enables brands and agencies to plan and buy video advertising across desktops, mobile, streaming devices and TVs.Meanwhile, Adobe Marketing Cloud is one of the most comprehensive and integrated solution for delivering exceptional digital experiences. Video consumption is exploding across all devices and video advertising is the fastest growing advertising category. Adobe is the leader in video content creation and delivery with its Premiere Pro CC and Primetime solutions. Adobe’s acquisition of TubeMogul will enable brands to capitalize on the meteoric shift to online video."The acquisition of TubeMogul further strengthens Adobe’s leadership in digital marketing and advertising technology. Building upon its expertise in search, display and social advertising planning and delivery with Adobe Media Optimizer, the addition of TubeMogul will enable Adobe’s customers to maximize their video advertising investments across desktop, mobile, streaming devices and TV," said the company in a press statement.Meanwhile, TubeMogul’s video advertising platform, combined with Adobe Marketing Cloud, will give customers access to first-party data and measurement capabilities from Adobe Audience Manager (Adobe’s data management platform) and Adobe Analytics respectively.“Whether it’s episodic TV, indie films or Hollywood blockbusters, video consumption is exploding across every device and brands are following those eyeballs,” said Brad Rencher, executive vice president and general manager, digital marketing, Adobe.“With the acquisition of TubeMogul, Adobe will give customers a ‘one-stop shop’ for video advertising, providing even more strategic value for our Adobe Marketing Cloud customers,” he added.“Adobe and TubeMogul share a similar culture and vision for the future of advertising,” said Brett Wilson, CEO and co-founder, TubeMogul. “The combination of Adobe Marketing Cloud with TubeMogul’s software creates a uniquely comprehensive platform that will help marketers always know what’s working -- and act on it. We’re thrilled to call Adobe home and believe this will be a great move for our clients, team and shareholders.”The transaction, which is expected to close during the first quarter of Adobe’s 2017 fiscal year, is subject to customary closing conditions. The potential financial impact to Adobe of this transaction is not reflected in financial targets previously provided by Adobe. Until the transaction closes, each company will continue to operate independently.Assuming the completion of the transaction, Adobe believes the acquisition of TubeMogul will be neutral to Adobe’s non-GAAP earnings in fiscal year 2017. Due to the absence at this time of certain acquisition-related cost estimates and purchase price accounting, Adobe is currently unable to provide an estimated impact on future GAAP earnings.