B2B information. Acuris, the BC Partners and GIC-backed provider of financial data, intelligence and research on corporate financial performance and deal activity (formerly known as MergerMarket) has acquired (for an undisclosed price), the Hong Kong-based investigative research firm Blackpeak for its Compliance division. Acuris publishes MergerMarket and Debtwire and is itself the subject of acquisition interest from the likes of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P Global, with BC partners seeking an exit valuation of around £1bn, some three times the price BC paid Pearson/FT for the business six years ago – and 10 x what Pearson paid seven years before that. First round bids are due today (5 April) and, while the Wall Street Journal (News Corp) and Fitch (Hearst) have been publicly linked with Acuris, many predict that the smart global business – which faces increasing competition from Pitchbook (owned by Morningstar) and Bloomberg – will be bought by private equity.
Acuris buys Blackpeak – and awaits bids
