Dun & Bradstreet Goes Private Again in $7.7B Sale to Clearlake
Clearlake Capital has agreed to acquire business data and analytics provide Dun & Bradstreet for $7.7 billion, including debt. The private equity firm will pay $9.15 in cash per share, valuing the company’s equity at $4.1 billion, and will also take on about $3.6 billion in outstanding debt. The transaction is supported by financing from Ares Management Credit Funds and HSBC.
This acquisition will once again take Dun & Bradstreet, a company with a history dating back to the 1840s, private. It was previously taken private in 2019 by an investor consortium before returning to public markets in 2020. The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals and includes a 30-day “go-shop” period, during which Dun & Bradstreet can seek alternative offers. Assuming all conditions are met, the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, Dun & Bradstreet leverages a vast database of over 500 million business records to deliver a suite of products, including risk assessment, financial analysis, operational intelligence, and marketing research. The company will continue under the leadership of CEO Anthony Jabbour.
“As companies become more data-centric in their decisioning in this fast-paced world, we see vast potential for Dun & Bradstreet to deliver AI-powered solutions to their global client base,” said Behdad Eghbali and James Pade, co-founder and partner at Clearlake, respectively.
Clearlake manages over $90 billion in assets and has a track record of over 400 investments, with a focus on the technology, industrials, and consumer sectors.
Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Rothschild & Co, Barclays, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Santander, and Wells Fargo are acting as financial advisors for Clearlake, while BofA Securities is serving as financial advisor to Dun & Bradstreet. Sidley Austin is providing legal counsel for Clearlake, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges for Dun & Bradstreet.