An auction to sell Nielsen Holdings appears to be a bust — but the ratings giant has not given up and is now looking to sell itself in pieces, The NY Post has learned.
The company, known for its television ratings business, has started to contact buyers about acquiring parts of its business, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussions said.
“There is now some openness” to selling the company in pieces, one source said of the board. The board was not open to the idea just a few weeks ago, this person added.
A sale of Nielsen, which has an enterprise value of more than $17 billion including debt, would have marked one of the largest leveraged buyouts since the 2008 financial crisis.
The company’s preference had been to sell itself whole, but it has failed to land a buyer since kicking off the sales process earlier this year.
Goldman Sachs, the last private equity firm at the negotiating table, dropped out earlier this summer, sources said.
Nielsen has two sides to its business: a consumer products market share segment, which includes clients Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola; and its Radio, TV ratings business.
Billionaire Paul Singer’s Elliott Management has been pushing the company to sell itself since it took an 8.4% stake in Nielsen last year.
The Post first reported on problems with the sale in March when the auction favorite, private equity firm Blackstone, had decided not to pursue a deal after spending months studying Nielsen.
Blackstone has a deep history with the company thanks to managing director David Calhoun, who ran it between 2006 and 2013.
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