CLARION EVENTS acquired by BLACKSTONE
Context
Blackstone acquired a majority stake in Clarion Events from Providence Equity Partners in a competitive auction process involving five other private equity firms. The transaction was valued at �600 million (approximately $800 million). The strategic rationale for Blackstone was to acquire a market-leading platform with highly "sticky" recurring revenues and a proven management team. Following the acquisition, the group was merged with the Asia-based operator Global Sources to further solidify its presence in the APAC region.
CLARION EVENTS, which reported an EBITDA margin of [members only] in 2017, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of 10x–18x, representing a premium to the average currently observed in the Business Services sector (11.4x).
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Target
Clarion Events is a premier independent events organizer. At the time of the deal, it operated over 180 events across 50 countries, employing 950 people in 13 offices. The company holds global leadership positions in high-value verticals, including Gaming (ICE), Defense & Security (DSEI), Energy (POWERGEN), and Retail & Home. It is recognized for its "buy-and-build" platform and its ability to scale niche UK brands into international market leaders.
Ent. Value
£500M–1.5bn
Equity Value
[members only]
Multiples
EV / Revenue
2x–6x
EV / EBITDA
10x–18x
EV / EBIT
[members only]
Historical Financials (GBP)
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REFERENCES
Valuation range: EV £500M–1.5bn
Revenue range: £100–200M
EBITDA range: £25–50M
EV/Revenue range: 2x - 6x
EV/EBITDA range: 10x - 18x
Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of CLARION EVENTS by BLACKSTONE are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.
Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.
Press release: view release
Acquirer: blackstone