12 Jun 07. IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS), a global provider of critical technical information, decision-support tools and related services, announced today it has acquired Jane’s Information Group (Jane’s), a leading provider of information to the defense industry and governments, from The Woodbridge Company Limited. IHS purchased Jane’s substantially through the issuance of 4.399 million shares of new IHS common stock, which translates to approximately $183.5m (U.S.) based on the June 11, 2007 closing price of $41.71 for IHS stock. As part of the transaction, Woodbridge has agreed to a three-year lock-up agreement that restricts its ability to sell any IHS shares. “IHS is extremely pleased to welcome Jane’s into the IHS family of brands which includes IHS and CERA (Cambridge Energy Research Associates),” said Jerre Stead, chairman and chief executive officer of IHS. “Our strategy is to grow our business of proprietary content and decision-support tools. The addition of Jane’s is a perfect complement to the products and services IHS offers today, and reflects our vision to be the source for critical information and insight.”
IHS and Jane’s are both global operators with long-standing customer relationships in aerospace, defense and government. The acquisition enhances the position of IHS in these industries, the company’s second-largest industry vertical after energy. IHS is a leading provider of military and aerospace parts, standards, and regulatory databases, and related decision-support tools and services. The combination of these IHS assets with the information, insight, analysis and brand of Jane’s allows IHS to deliver an unparalleled suite of products and services.
“The combination of IHS and Jane’s clearly strengthens both companies and creates more growth and greater opportunities to increase value for our customers,” said Alfred Rolington, chief executive officer of Jane’s. “We look forward to enhancing the critical information and insight on which governments and businesses have come to rely to make critical decisions.”
The growing shared interest of the defense establishment and energy industry in the security and production of oil and gas around the world presents another opportunity, positioning the combined companies as a global leader in energy security issues.
“The convergence of energy and security issues in recent years has driven markets and prices on a daily basis and placed energy security squarely at the forefront of the minds of everyone from governments to businesses to individuals,” said Daniel Yergin, executive vice president of IHS and chairman of CERA. “The insight and expertise that IHS and CERA provide in the energy arena, now coupled with Jane’s depth and quality of security analysis, will be a unique, broad-based source of timely information, knowledge and insight into a range of energy security issues around the world.”
Jane’s was founded in 1898 and is a world-leading provider and publisher of information and analysis on global defense and security. Governments, militaries, business leaders and academics in more than 180 countries rely on Jane’s for timely and insightful information on threat and security issues. Jane’s has offices in seven locations worldwide and an international network of researchers, correspondents and journalists, who provide the depth and quality of Jane’s editorial expertise and independence. Jane’s offers a full range of information solutions including: military systems, equipment and analysis; country-by-country internal and external security and threat assessments; defense news and analysis; business risk assessments; airport news equipment and services information; railroad and urban transportation systems; and police and law enforcement news and equipment information.
IHS is a leading provider of critical information, products, solutions and services to governments and corporations i