In an environment of consolidation, Audioboom waves its flag

Audioboom is promoting its availability as a takeover target, as a bustling era of podcast consolidation has left few large targets behind. With Stitcher acquired (twice!) by Scripps and SiriusXM, and Wondery grabbed by Amazon Music, the field is settling into a bifurcated environment where a throng of smallish indie networks (think Evergreen Podcasts, The Podglomerate, and dozens of others) scrabble for business alongside giant tech/media holding companies.

Audioboom stands out as a lonesome major indie, HQ’d across the Atlantic from the American feeding frenzy. CEO Stuart Last is all but announcing Audioboom’s availability in a Bloomberg interview: “If a big business is looking to be in the space, and they are looking to acquire a company that is already scaled and has the potential to scale further, then Audioboom is in a prime position to take advantage of that.”

Stuart Last acknowledges the difference in value perception for a UK company compared to a U.S. firm: “I think if we were traded in the U.S., the market would be less interested in that break-even point and would be more focused on the revenue growth side of things, and the longer-term move to break-even.” In fact, Audioboom, publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange, did achieve quarterly profit in its most recent reporting.

Audioboom’s podcast network sells across 9,000 shows, some of which are original owned-and-operated productions.

Nick Candy is Audioboom’s largest shareholder, with about 15% equity.

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Brad Hill