Hyde House successfully advises e-mail marketing platform
LONDON and NEW YORK - April 8th. MobiVentures Inc., an international provider of high quality mobile applications, content and services today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Purepromoter Limited ("Pure"), a U.K.-based global provider of e-mail and SMS marketing solutions in 40 countries, for US$7.8 million.
The acquisition is expected to close by the end of April. Pure, founded in 2002, provides powerful, low cost e-mail, multimedia messaging (MMS) and text messaging (SMS) marketing campaigns to businesses and agencies, including clients such as Emap, The FT, Economist Conferences, Littlewoods, ultimatepoker.com and innocent drinks.
Through its agency channel, Pure works with companies including Halifax, Barclaycard, Levis Europe, Pepsi, O2, Red Bull and Starbucks. The company had revenues of US$2.8 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007, which is expected to exceed US$4.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2008, a year-over-year increase of approximately 50%. These revenues are up from US$1.1 million in fiscal 2006 and US$430,000 in fiscal 2005. The operating income at fiscal year-end 2007 was US$670,000 and is expected to exceed US$1.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2008. In connection with the acquisition of Pure, MobiVentures has arranged US$2 million in financing from Trafalgar Capital Specialized Investment Fund in the form of convertible debentures to fund the acquisition.
Nigel Nicholas, chief executive officer of MobiVentures, commented, "Pure has done a great job of penetrating the global market with a variety of electronic marketing solutions, and its growing customer base, which now totals approximately 700 businesses of all sizes, is evidence of the quality service it provides. The number of mobile subscribers is growing significantly around the world through innovation in the creation and delivery of content on mobile devices. Pure takes the process one step further in email messaging by measuring results, an extremely valuable program component for clients who need to assess the effectiveness of dollars spent on their marketing campaigns."
Mr. Nicholas continued, "The acquisition of Pure has a number of important advantages, including its recurring revenue stream, augmentation of our distribution capabilities, a talented and experienced staff and significant cross-selling opportunities of turnkey marketing solutions. MobiVentures plans to leverage Pure's customer base to sell and market our mobile applications, while Pure will benefit by offering its existing and new customers a broader suite of services available through our earlier acquisition of Move2Mobile.
Our goal is to accelerate our profitability through our expanded
distribution, product and service offerings. We expect the combined
companies to continue to generate positive cash flow by achieving
strong operating leverage in the combined businesses." Stuart Hobbs,
Managing Director for Pure, stated, "MobiVentures has been very
successful in creating industry leading mobile marketing
applications and multi-media content as well as establishing
relationships with over 150 worldwide distributors. A large portion
of our current sales are derived from email messaging campaigns,
providing us an ideal customer base to leverage MobiVentures'
expansive suite of mobile marketing applications. Although mobile
marketing campaigns are still in the early growth phase, the leaders
of tomorrow will be those that recognize this opportunity and
capitalize on it.
By combining forces with MobiVentures, and gaining access to their expansive distribution channels, MobiVentures is very well positioned to become one of those pioneer companies." Mr. Nicholas concluded, "We had previously announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Move2Mobile, the UK's foremost wireless business incubator and accelerator, and we are pleased to report that we have completed the transaction. Our goal now is to rapidly and seamlessly complete the integration of Pure and benefit from the immediate synergies of our combined companies. We look forward to aggressively pursuing similarly accretive and complementary acquisitions over the next 12-18 months." Further terms of the Pure acquisition, additional information regarding Move2Mobile and the terms of the debentures are outlined in the Form 8-K filed on April 4, 2008.
About MobiVentures
MobiVentures Inc. is an established provider of leading edge
multi-media mobile content and services, with clients across the UK,
Europe, Asia and North America. MobiVentures acquires and
consolidates growing companies that operate within the mobile
content and service industry. Through the combined scale and
resources, MobiVentures seeks to accelerate growth and time to
market for its portfolio companies and their respective products,
which stand to immediately benefit from the company's broad content
array, international distribution channels and strategic alliances.
About Purepromoter Limited
Pure offers a complete and flexible software solution to add power
to email marketing and SMS advertising: PureResponse. Pure helps its
clients develop the most effective way to display their email
marketing message, and ensures its clients get the highest send
rates and lowest number of opt-outs. Additional information about
the company is available at: www.pure360.com.
About Move2Mobile
Move2Mobile is the UK's foremost wireless business incubator and
accelerator. Established in mid-2002, Move2Mobile provides services
to a range of businesses from start-up entrepreneurs through to
established companies wishing to accelerate and grow their business.
Move2Mobile's primary focus is helping businesses by providing
management, financial, commercial and other support to selected
start-up and early stage ventures in wireless and mobile related
industries. Move2Mobile is well positioned to capitalise on its
niche position as UK's foremost accelerator for early stage wireless
and mobile related companies. Statements about MobiVentures' future
expectations and all other statements in this press release other
than historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as the term is defined in
the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. MobiVentures' actual
results could differ materially from expected results. MobiVentures
undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to
reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances. The
forecasted revenues and other financial information for Pure
Promoter for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2008 are projections
based on guidance provided by management of Pure Promoter. These
projections are forward looking statements that are subject to
contingencies associated with the business of Pure Promoter. There
is no assurance that these projections will be achieved.
Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on these
forward looking statements.