After percolating under private ownership for four years, Nielsen is going public again. This is one IPO you should stay away from.
The worldwide giant of media measurement and consumer behavior research was taken off the public markets in 2006 in a blockbuster $10 billion leveraged buyout. A consortium of seven private equity firms ponied up the dough, led by household names The Blackstone Group
But this could very well be Nielsen's swan song. My former employer (I was an operational cost center on the balance sheet, keeping computer systems happy and healthy) is best known for the eponymous TV ratings service, which helps broadcast networks and advertisers decide how much advertising spots are worth. That bread-and-butter operation seems destined for the scrap heap in relatively short order.
The rise of digital cable and satellite broadcast services is making Nielsen boxes obsolete. There is nothing to stop Comcast
Nielsen will not die, as the company also provides valuable reports in other fields. But when the breadwinner segment is forced to compete with cable operators and online advertising experts, the value of that core business will dwindle. And so will the stock.
I wish my ex-colleagues all the best, but the future ain't looking too bright. Sorry, guys.
Would you touch this IPO with a 10-foot pole? Discuss in the comments below.