Q1 2018 Online & Mobile Industry Trends

Online & Mobile transaction volume declined 12 percent over the past three months, from 712 to 629. Deal value rose 56 percent, from $19.5 billion to $30.5 billion. Volume throughout the past five quarters reached its peak in Q1 2017, whereas value reached its zenith in Q3 2017. Strategic acquirers completed nine of the industry’s top ten highest value deals during the past quarter.

The E-Content segment experienced a 33 percent increase in Q1 2018, which marked a return to its Q3 2017 level. This made it the sector with the largest quarterly rise in M&A activity. Apple was a notable segment acquirer with the announced acquisition of Texture, a digital magazine platform that is sometimes referred to as the “Netflix of Magazines.”

The number of transactions in the mobile application sector decreased 12 percent on a quarter-to-quarter basis, from 92 to 81. Fashion retailer Nordstrom was a notable related acquirer with the acquisitions of BevyUp, which offers a mobile clienteling app that is used by sales associates to provide customers with a personalized, omnichannel experience; and MessageYes, a platform for e-commerce through mobile messaging.

Deal activity in the E-Commerce segment, after rising 22 percent in Q4 2017, fell 27 percent in Q1 2018. The segment’s largest transaction year-to-date was GTCR and Sycamore Partners’ announced acquisition of CommerceHub, a technology company that helps retailers manage e-commerce inventory, for $989 million.

As for other select industry markets, SaaS & Cloud volume decreased 17 percent in Q1 2018. This followed a six percent gain in Q4 2017. Meanwhile, E-Marketing & Search volume declined 19 percent in Q1 2018. This occurred after a 14 percent increase in Q4 2017.