Online Ad Industry Dealmakers Busy Despite Dull Economy

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Despite a weakening U.S. economy during the past year, the level of investment deals and acquisitions involving companies in the online advertising world have remained healthy, says a new report by ContentNext Media.

The "Online Advertising Deals Report" focuses on activity between the second quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of 2008. During the period, there were 160 venture capital investments in the industry, according to the report. Most but not all of those -- 137 -- revealed financial information; disclosed investments added up to more than $1.9 billion.

ContentNext estimates the overall investment in online ad companies during the period -- including the investments where money wasn't revealed -- totaled more than $2.1 billion with the average investment coming in at about $14 million.

http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-our-newest-report-online-advertising-vc-and-ma-deals-in-the-last-year

VC Investments: -- Total number of investments:160 -- Total number of disclosed investments: 137 valued at $1,925,830,000 -- Average investment size: $14,057,153 -- Best estimated value of overall investment in the space (disclosed and undisclosed): $2,126,620,000

Acquisitions: -- Total number of acquisitions: 100 -- Total number of disclosed acquisitions: 46 valued at $17,535,320,000 -- Average acquisition size: $327,313,415 -- Best estimated value of overall transaction in the space (disclosed and undisclosed): $20,594,510,000

The charts below provide a topline overview of how the money was spent (click thumbnails for better view):