Nielsen to Acquire DoubleVerify for $2.15 Billion, Abandoning Prior Plan to Split in Two

Nielsen will acquire digital ad verification firm DoubleVerify in an all-cash deal worth approximately $2.15 billion, paying $13.60 per share — a 30% premium to DoubleVerify's recent trading level, per Variety (6 August 2026). The move reverses Nielsen's 2019 plan to split into two public companies. CEO Karthik Rao's Nielsen now pulls in a digital-first firm as TV audiences fragment and streaming ad sales grow. Transaction remains subject to closing conditions.