ECI sells Bounty

ECI Partners said Thursday that it has agreed to sell Bounty for £70m (US$143m) to Kaboose, the largest independent family-focused online media company in North America.

Bounty also acts as a marketing and advertising platform in the UK, targeting new and expectant mothers.

Through access with most UK-based hospitals and established relationships with brand owners, it says it reaches around 95% of the estimated 750,000 annual births in the UK.

Bounty helps global advertisers reach this target audience through online media and direct marketing, a professional health network, product sampling, podcasting, photography and parenting guides.

Since funding the MBO at Bounty in December 2004, ECI says it has helped Bounty more than double its profits.

Bounty made an Ebitda of £3.5m on revenues of £19.8m in 2006, and an Ebitda of £3.2m on revenues of £17m for the nine month period to the end of September 2007.

For ECI, this exit will represent another successful transaction in businesses that have benefited from the growth in internet usage, following the recent sales of M and M Direct, LateRooms and Holiday Autos.

ECI was advised on the sale by David Elms, KPMG Corporate Finance and Richard Spink, Burges Salmon.