On December 31, 2018, Publicis Groupe signed an agreement to sell Publicis Health Services (PHS) to Altamont Capital Partners. The disposal was completed on January 31, 2019. This disposal followed the July 2018 announcement of the strategic review of this asset, and the launch of the divestment process communicated to the market the following October. This entity is in the Contract Sales Organization business. This disposal allows Publicis Health, led by Alexandra von Plato, to refocus on its creative, media, insights and consulting activities. Publicis Groupe remains committed to providing the best possible solutions to help clients with their digital transformation and to this end will invest in health-related consulting, in data and technology.
Total acquisition costs for entities integrated during 2018 (gross payments, before acquired cash) came to euro 136 million. In addition, euro 130 million was paid out in earn-outs and euro 21 million to buy-out non-controlling interests.
The Groupe did not buyback any of its own shares in 2018, except for those shares bought under the liquidity contract.
One of the key events in 2019 was the Epsilon acquisition, the biggest deal in the Groupe’s history. There were also a number of other small-scale acquisitions and disposals during the year, helping to accelerate the Groupe’s tilt towards strategic core assets.
On February 14, 2019 Publicis Groupe announced that, following a sale process in 2018, the Groupe entities that own Proximedia had entered into exclusive negotiations with Ycor for the sale of all of Proximedia. With operations in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, Proximedia provides digital services to SMEs, small enterprises, small shops and craftsmen for their online presence and promotion. As at December 31, 2018, Proximedia had 575 employees, including 231 in France, 311 in the Benelux and 33 in Spain. Publicis Groupe completed the disposal in the first half of 2019.
On April 14, 2019, Publicis Groupe announced that it had entered into an agreement with Alliance Data Systems Corporation to acquire Epsilon. Headquartered in the US, Epsilon is a unique technology and platform company focusing on maximizing the value of its clients’ data. In 2018, Epsilon generated net revenue of USD 1.9 billion(1) of which 97% in the United States; the Company employs approximately 9,000 people, including 3,700 data scientists and 2,000 engineers based in Bangalore.
Epsilon’s expertise ranges across the entire consumer data lifecycle. It allows client raw data to be structured and enhanced, and activate large-scale, personalized, multi-channel campaigns.
(1)As per Publicis Groupe accounting principles.
