In a move to streamline its operations and reinforce its focus on entertainment, German media company ProSiebenSat.1 has announced the sale of its online comparison platform Verivox to Moltiply Group.
The transaction, valued at approximately €232 million, is expected to close today and marks a significant milestone in the company’s restructuring efforts. The sale of non-core assets, including Verivox, follows demands from ProSiebenSat.1’s largest single shareholder, MFE-MediaForEurope, which has been pushing for a sharper focus on the entertainment sector.
The deal not only enhances ProSiebenSat.1’s financial flexibility, but also reduces its net debt by more than €250 million, even before factoring in a potential earn-out component of up to €60 million. This supports the company’s goal of achieving a leverage ratio of between 1.5x and 2.5x in the medium term.
In a parallel move, ProSiebenSat.1 is acquiring General Atlantic’s minority stakes in both the NuCom Group (excluding Flaconi) and ParshipMeet Group. This transaction, involving a mix of cash, treasury shares, and a fixed exit participation of €50 million, allows ProSiebenSat.1 to fully control these businesses and align them with its strategic direction.
The company will now have sole responsibility for the ongoing divestment of its beauty retailer, Flaconi. While General Atlantic will retain its 28.4% stake in Flaconi, ProSiebenSat.1 will continue the sale process independently, ensuring full control over the asset’s future.
With Verivox now removed from its portfolio, ProSiebenSat.1 has revised its financial outlook for 2025. The company expects revenue of around €3.85 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of approximately €520 million. This represents a slight decline from the previous forecast of €4.00 billion in revenue and €550 million in EBITDA. Despite these adjustments, ProSiebenSat.1 remains committed to strategic investments in digital entertainment and local content.
Bert Habets, Group CEO of ProSiebenSat.1, emphasised that these changes mark an important step in the company’s long-term vision: “Selling Verivox has been a top priority, and with our new agreements, we now have full flexibility to reshape our portfolio and strengthen our core business.”
Moltiply, an Italian-based group, plans to integrate Verivox into its Mavriq Division, which manages multiple online comparison and brokerage services across Europe and Latin America. This acquisition aligns with Moltiply’s broader strategy of expanding its presence in the European comparison market.
