Clearlake Capital Group is in advanced negotiations to acquire Dun & Bradstreet Holdings in a transaction valuing the data and analytics provider at approximately $4bn, according to a report by Bloomberg citing sources familiar with the matter.
The private equity firm is expected to pay around $9 per share for the Jacksonville, Florida-based company, with a formal announcement potentially coming as early as next week, the sources said.
Dun & Bradstreet shares, which had declined about 12% over the past year, gained as much as 5.9% in Friday’s trading before closing up 2.8% at $8.73, giving the company a market capitalisation of roughly $3.85bn. Including debt, Dun & Bradstreet carries an enterprise value of approximately $7.24bn, according to Bloomberg data.
The deal is expected to include a go-shop provision, allowing Dun & Bradstreet to solicit competing offers. Other private equity firms have expressed interest, with Bloomberg previously reporting that Veritas Capital Fund Management had explored a potential acquisition.
While discussions are at an advanced stage, sources cautioned that the deal could still face delays or fall through. Representatives for Clearlake and Dun & Bradstreet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Dun & Bradstreet, one of Wall Street’s longest-standing data providers, traces its origins to the 1840s and has counted four US presidents – Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland, and William McKinley – among its former employees.
If completed, the transaction would mark the second time Dun & Bradstreet has been taken private in recent years. In 2018, an investor consortium led by CC Capital, Cannae Holdings, and Thomas H. Lee Partners acquired the firm in a $6.9bn deal, including debt.
