Adevinta is in acquisition talks

Adevinta, the parent company of many leading European classified marketplaces, is in discussions regarding a potential sale. A consortium led by investment firms Permira and Blackstone is reported to have made a multi-billion-dollar offer.

This information comes from the German Manager Magazine. Specific financial details are not disclosed, and the negotiations are said to be in the early stages. If a deal is reached, it would mean that platforms such as Kleinanzeigen, Mobile.de, and Marktplaats would change ownership.

Local brands

Adevinta, which emerged as a spin-off of the Norwegian publishing company Schibsted, is a dominant player in the classifieds and marketplace sector. It owns numerous local brands that collectively attract billions of visitors each month. Some of the leading local brands include Leboncoin in France, InfoJobs in Spain, and Subito in Italy.

eBay Classifieds Group

A few years ago, Adevinta significantly expanded its reach. In 2020, the Norwegian company officially registered for a takeover of eBay’s classified ad business, acquiring platforms such as eBay Kleinanzeigen (now simply Kleinanzeigen) and Mobile.de in Germany, the Dutch Marktplaats, and Belgium’s 2dehands.be.

Through this acquisition, which was only completed in mid-2021 after approval from competition authorities, eBay received 2.5 billion dollars in cash and a 44 percent stake in Adevinta. Since then, the Norwegian company has described itself as the world market leader “with a unique portfolio of leading marketplace brands”, according to Rolv Erik Ryssdal, CEO of Adevinta.

Adevinta is the world’s largest online classifieds company

The group also positions itself as a driver of the circular economy through its online marketplaces for second-hand products.

Sale to investors

Reportedly, both Schibsted and eBay are open to a sale to investors, with both companies interested in retaining smaller holdings.