The NPD Group to Be Acquired by Hellman & Friedman

The NPD Group (NPD), a global market information provider, announced that Hellman & Friedman (H&F), a premier global private equity firm, has made a binding offer and entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire NPD subject to conditions below. NPD executive chairman Tod Johnson and CEO Karyn Schoenbart would retain a minority stake in the business and continue to serve on the NPD board of directors.

“In a period of rapid change, NPD has helped guide our clients with omnichannel data, industry expertise, and analytics to help them understand unprecedented market shifts,” said NPD CEO Karyn Schoenbart. “It has been exciting to play an increasingly important role in the strategies of our clients by providing insight into what is happening today and what to anticipate in the future. We expect H&F to continue our tradition of client partnership and innovation with new products, data sources, and next generation platforms to make our information even more comprehensive, accessible, and actionable.”

Founded in 1966, NPD is currently the eighth largest market research company worldwide, with operations in the Americas, Europe, and APAC, covering more than 20 industries. Over the years, NPD has introduced numerous industry innovations in both traditional and digital research methodologies. These include launching the first point-of-sale tracking services for general merchandise sectors, developing the in-home scanning technology used by many research companies around the world today, pioneering online surveys, introducing the breakthrough digital measurement methodology that powered Media Metrix, and building the first receipt-based market measurement system.

Following completion of the notification and consultation process with NPD’s employee-works council, as required by law, H&F and NPD’s shareholders are expected to enter into a definitive sale agreement. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2021, subject to the entry into the definitive sale agreement and satisfaction of the conditions set forth therein. 

Source: NPD