Combination Propels Bloomberg’s Expansion into Legal Information Market and Enhances BNA through Bloomberg’s Data and Technology Expertise

Bloomberg and BNA today announced that they have entered into an agreement for Bloomberg to acquire all of the outstanding shares of BNA for $39.50 per share in a cash tender offer followed by a merger for a total purchase price of approximately $990 million. The transaction is expected to close in 2011.

BNA, which is wholly owned by current and former employees, provides important legal, tax and regulatory research and analysis and would become a stand-alone subsidiary of Bloomberg.

Together, Bloomberg and BNA would form a unique combination of premium content, deep subject matter expertise, proprietary data and world class technological capabilities to provide distinctive products and solutions for professionals and decision makers in law, government, business and finance.

Source:  Bloomberg Press Release

BIIA Chairman David Worlock comments in his recent blog:  “BNA and Bloomberg herald a new order!” 

“So what does all of this do to the balance of power?  For Thomson Reuters , comparitively little , given that it has moved decisively ( through its GRC developments ) into that wider view of legal and regulatory relevance stated above . BNA’s two great assets would be its brand , forever associated with the reporting of embryonic law in committee in DC , but actually much wider in content and significence , and its tax services , a market leader in conjunction with CCH ( Wolters Kluwer) and Thomson Reuters Tax (RIA). It is notable that Thomson , Reed Elsevier (Lexis) ,and CCH all license content from BNA for access online . This will presumably end after current contracts expire . Thomson will be hurt least by this . But note how important contextualised news is now to everyone : BNA gives this to Bloomberg in a way which helps to neutralize the Reuters/West advantage.” 

To read David Worlock’s full assessment click on the link above.