Nielsen-NetRatings Deal Done

Nielsen and NetRatings Friday completed their previously announced merger -- a deal in which the ratings giant will buy the remaining 40% of NetRatings it doesn’t already own for an estimated $327 million.

The merger was approved by the stockholders of NetRatings at a special meeting held Friday. As a result of the merger, NetRatings became a privately held company, wholly owned by Nielsen and its subsidiaries. Shares of NetRatings’ common stock -- which, prior to the merger, traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “NTRT” -- were delisted from trading as of the close of the market.

NetRatings delivers leading Internet-media and market-research solutions, marketed globally under the Nielsen//NetRatings brand. With high quality, technology-driven products and services, Nielsen//NetRatings enables clients to make informed business decisions regarding their online strategies.

The Nielsen//NetRatings product portfolio includes panel-based and site-centric Internet-audience-measurement services; online-advertising intelligence; user lifestyle, demographic and product-brand preferences data; Internet-reach and frequency-planning tools; and custom data, research and analysis.