By Sam Boughedda
Investing.com -- Nielson shares jumped 37% on a report in The Wall Street Journal that a consortium of several private equity groups, including Elliot Management Corp, is in advanced discussions to purchase the TV ratings business.
The deal would see Nielsen Holdings PLC (NYSE:NLSN) sold for around $15 billion, including debt, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Discussions with several banks are said to have taken place with a deal possibly completed within weeks. However, there is no assurance that an agreement will be reached, with there still being the potential for negotiations to fall apart.
Nielsen had a market value of $6.2 billion on Monday, with a so-called enterprise value of more than $11 billion due to a large debt of over $5 billion.
Nielsen provides audience estimates for television networks to sell commercial slots. However, with the growth of streaming and traditional TV losing viewers in recent years, the company's services have become less valuable. Elliot has held a stake in Nielsen since 2018.