The NPD Group, a global market information provider, announced that global private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F) has made a binding offer and entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire NPD.
NPD, founded in 1966, is reported to be the eighth largest market research company worldwide, with operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific covering more than 20 industries, including housewares, small appliances and home environment appliances.
The acquisition of NPD by H&F, terms of which were not disclosed, is expected to close by the end of 2021, according to a release by NPD. NPD Executive Chairman Tod Johnson and CEO Karyn Schoenbart would retain a minority stake in the business and continue to serve on the NPD board of directors, according to NPD.
“As a leading source of market information and advisory services for general merchandise and foodservice, NPD is committed to helping our clients and the industries we serve achieve data-driven growth for many years to come,” Johnson said. “H&F shares our focus on long-term growth and has the resources and expertise to not only continue but also accelerate NPD’s momentum and long track record of success. Both Karyn and I are delighted to have the opportunity to partner as minority investors alongside H&F as we work in close collaboration on a long-term strategic plan and transition over time to the next generation of NPD leadership.”
Schoenbart added, “In a period of rapid change, NPD has helped guide our clients with omnichannel data, industry expertise, and analytics to help them understand unprecedented market shifts. It has been exciting to play an increasingly important role in the strategies of our clients by providing insight into what is happening today and what to anticipate in the future. We expect H&F to continue our tradition of client partnership and innovation with new products, data sources, and next generation platforms to make our information even more comprehensive, accessible, and actionable.”
“Trusted by more than 2,000 customers in 19 countries, NPD is a market leader in its categories with an outstanding value proposition for customers and retailers,” said Philip Hammarskjold, executive chairman of H&F.
Blake Kleinman, partner at H&F added, “Rapidly evolving consumer expectations and the growth of e-commerce are accelerating the pace of change in the retail landscape. In an environment of unknowns, the ability for companies to use omnichannel analytics to measure and improve performance is more important than ever before, and NPD is extremely well positioned to provide these critical insights to its customers and retail partners.”
NPD said it has introduced numerous traditional and digital research methodologies, including point-of-sale tracking services for general merchandise sectors, in-home scanning technology, online surveys, digital measurement methodology that powered Media Metrix, and a receipt-based market measurement system.
