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01/2023

PERMIRA takes majority stake in ACUITY KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS

UNITED KINGDOM Professional Services / Consulting & Audit / Strategy & Management REV 2.5b - 5b USD

Context

Acuity Knowledge Partners has been acquired by Permira, with the transaction announced in January 2023 and subject to standard regulatory approvals. The acquisition follows a prior ownership structure in which Equistone Partners Europe held a majority position after a management buyout from Moody's Corporation in 2019, and it marks the transition to a new majority shareholder while retaining minority stakes for existing investors and management. Permira cited the expansion of tech‑enabled research services to financial institutions as a core driver for the investment, noting that Acuity’s global delivery model and proprietary analytics platform align with the firm’s strategy to deepen capabilities in data‑intensive sectors. The buyer plans to leverage its sector knowledge and network to accelerate Acuity’s entry into adjacent markets, enhance product development and support further geographic penetration, particularly in high‑growth regions such as Asia and the Middle East. Post‑closing, Acuity is expected to integrate additional capital for talent acquisition, technology upgrades and potential bolt‑on acquisitions, aiming to increase service breadth and improve operational efficiency for its client base. The combined entity anticipates stronger bargaining power with suppliers, accelerated product rollout cycles and the ability to offer more comprehensive research solutions, thereby reinforcing its position within the financial services research ecosystem.

ACUITY KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2023, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, a level to compare with the average currently observed in the Business Services sector (11.1x).

Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.

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Target

Acuity Knowledge Partners provides research, analytics and business intelligence services to financial institutions. The firm delivers market commentary, proprietary data sets, quantitative models and customised advisory output that support investment decision‑making, risk assessment and regulatory reporting. Its client portfolio exceeds 500 entities and includes banks, asset managers, advisory firms, private equity houses and consultancy groups. Service delivery combines a network of analysts, sector specialists, software developers and data scientists who operate as extensions of client teams, enabling integration of insights into internal workflows.

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Historical Financials (USD)

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REFERENCES

Revenue range: 2.5b - 5b USD

EBITDA range: 450M - 900M USD

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of ACUITY KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS by PERMIRA are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).

Press release: view release

Target: acuity knowledge partners

Acquirer: permira