ACNielsen and VNU Complete $2.3 Billion Merger; New Global Leader in Marketing and Media Information Formed.Business Editors STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 19, 2001 ACNielsen Corporation (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange : ART) announced today that its merger with VNU VNU Volontaires des Nations Unies (French) VNU Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeversbedrijven (Dutch) VNU Virtual Network User N.V. (VNU.N) has been completed, creating a new company that is a world leader in marketing and media information. The $2.3 billion merger became effective on Friday, February 16, following a successful cash tender offer by a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. of VNU, and regulatory approvals from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community . Under the terms of the tender offer, shareholders are receiving $36.75 in cash for each of their ACNielsen shares. Trading in the common stock of ACNielsen ceased at the close of trading on Friday, February 16. VNU shares continue to be traded on the Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg exchanges, and, in the U.S., American Depository Receipts American Depository Receipt n. called in the banking trade an ADR, it is a receipt issued by American banks to Americans as a substitute for actual ownership of shares of foreign stocks. (ADRs) are traded on the NASD NASD See: National Association of Securities Dealers NASD See National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). Over the Counter Bulletin Board. "Today marks an important milestone for ACNielsen," said Nicholas L. Trivisonno, the company's chairman and chief executive officer. "With the closing of this transaction, this management team has fulfilled ful·fill also ful·fil tr.v. ful·filled, ful·fill·ing, ful·fills also ful·fils 1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises. 2. its commitment - first made in 1996 - to create long-term Long-term Three or more years. In the context of accounting, more than 1 year. long-term 1. Of or relating to a gain or loss in the value of a security that has been held over a specific length of time. Compare short-term. value for ACNielsen shareholders. "Now, together with VNU, we enter a new era for ACNielsen, as we move forward to create a new global leader in marketing and media information, ready to deliver the value-added insights and end-to-end business solutions our clients need to succeed in today's complex, fast-changing environment," Trivisonno said. ACNielsen, the world's leading market research firm, joins a VNU family of companies that includes Nielsen Media Research, the famous TV ratings firm. ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research were both originally part of the company founded by Arthur C. Nielsen, but were spun off separately in 1996 following a restructuring restructuring - The transformation from one representation form to another at the same relative abstraction level, while preserving the subject system's external behaviour (functionality and semantics). of their former parent, Dun & Bradstreet. VNU acquired Nielsen Media Research in October 1999. VNU, through Nielsen Media Research, also has a majority interest in NetRatings, Inc., ACNielsen's partner in ACNielsen eRatings.com. The companies are already working together to establish the Nielsen//NetRatings service as the global standard for Internet audience and advertising information. About VNU Headquartered in the Netherlands, VNU is one of the world's leading media and information companies and has leading market positions in marketing and media information, directories and consumer information, as well as educational information. Worldwide, VNU employs approximately 16,000 people and had 1999 revenue of more than $2.8 billion. About ACNielsen ACNielsen, with 21,000 employees and annual revenue of $1.6 billion, is the world's leading market research firm, offering measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics, consumer attitudes and behavior, and new and traditional media in more than 100 countries. ACNielsen's clients include leading consumer product manufacturers and retailers, service firms, media and entertainment companies and the Internet community. Note to Editors: Look for this press release and other information about ACNielsen at www.acnielsen.com. For further information about VNU, log onto www.vnu.com. |
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