Nielsen has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire media verification company DoubleVerify in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD 2.15 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, DoubleVerify shareholders will receive USD 13.60 per share in cash, representing a 30% premium to the company's 60-day volume-weighted average share price as of 5 August 2026.

The acquisition will combine Nielsen's audience measurement and media intelligence capabilities with DoubleVerify's ad verification, brand suitability and campaign performance tools. 

The combined company is expected to generate more than USD 4 billion in pro forma revenue and expand its offerings to companies representing more than USD 300 billion in advertising spend.

DoubleVerify's technology verifies whether digital ads are viewable, brand-safe and free from invalid traffic. Nielsen said the acquisition will allow advertisers to access audience measurement, campaign verification and media performance data through a single platform spanning television, connected TV, digital, social, mobile and AI-driven advertising.

The transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, subject to DoubleVerify shareholder approval, regulatory clearances and other customary closing conditions.

The deal will be financed through a combination of debt financing, incremental equity financing and Nielsen's cash on hand.

Following completion, DoubleVerify will operate as a privately held company within Nielsen while retaining its existing brand and name.

Karthik Rao, chief executive officer, Nielsen, said, “Over the last few years, Nielsen has undergone a fundamental transformation accelerating product innovation; expanding our platform across the full media lifecycle, from discovery and planning through measurement and outcomes; and strengthening our financial foundation. The result is a stronger, more agile Nielsen that has earned its place as a leading media intelligence platform for the modern advertising ecosystem. This combination will unite two organisations focused on strengthening independence and trust in advertising. Joining forces with DoubleVerify will extend our capabilities deeper into the digital media industry, ensuring that the spend flowing between buyers and sellers is reaching real people in brand-suitable environments, through verified channels. As advertising workflows become increasingly automated, together we can offer publishers, advertisers, agencies, and platforms a truly independent, end-to-end partner that connects trusted audience intelligence with verified media delivery — across every screen, every channel, and every transaction – enabling superior decisions and outcomes.”

Mark Zagorski, chief executive officer, DoubleVerify, added, “Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone for DoubleVerify. As a private entity with the support of Nielsen, we will have access to expanded resources to deliver new, market-leading solutions that drive exceptional value for our customers and partners. DoubleVerify’s MRC-accredited quality signals, in combination with Nielsen’s deduplicated cross-screen audience measurement, will fuel genuine market innovation – a single currency that scores media on both audience delivery and media environment quality. I’m proud of the strong momentum we’ve built for DoubleVerify as the leading media effectiveness platform, the strength of our AI-powered measurement and optimisation platform, and the exceptional work of our team."

R. Davis Noell, chairperson - Board of DoubleVerify, said, “DoubleVerify has established itself as the global benchmark in digital media quality and effectiveness. Over its growth trajectory, DoubleVerify expanded its AI-powered platform, deepened customer relationships, and scaled into a true category leader. Bringing these assets together creates a significant win for both companies’ customers and partners. We’re excited for Mark and the DoubleVerify leadership team as they continue that journey with Nielsen.”