Willis Stein & Partners Completes Acquisition of Ziff-Davis Publishing

Posted on April 7, 2000

Willis Stein & Partners has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Ziff-Davis Publishing from Ziff-Davis, Inc. for $780 million in cash. The new company, Ziff Davis Media Inc., provides information for buying, using and experiencing technology and the Internet. Its magazine publishing subsidiary, Ziff Davis Publishing, publishes three of the four largest technology magazines in the U.S. PC Magazine and Ziff Davis Smart Business each have a paid circulation greater than one million, and Yahoo! Internet Life recently announced that its rate base will hit one million in September.

James D. Dunning, Jr. will serve as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ziff Davis Media Inc. and Ziff Davis Publishing Inc. In addition to growing its existing magazine franchises, Ziff Davis Media Inc. will also serve as a platform to launch new magazines, acquire publications and develop new Internet and interactive content businesses in the consumer and business marketplaces.

Avy Stein, Managing Partner of Willis Stein & Partners and a member of Ziff Davis Media's board said, ``This is a landmark deal for Willis Stein and represents our largest investment in the media/new economy sector. Ziff Davis Media is the leading publishing platform covering an increasingly important and rapidly growing segment of the economy. It is the source for information about technology that is transforming both the business marketplace and consumer lifestyles. In line with our record of creating value for our investors, Willis Stein is committed to building upon Ziff Davis Media's already excellent tradition. With Jim Dunning at the helm, we are again partnering with a proven winner who delivered superior results at Petersen Publishing as well as three other Willis Stein portfolio companies. We also look forward to working with the newly appointed and talented Ziff Davis management team.''

Willis Stein & Partners' other media assets include: CTN Media Group, Inc., a network producing television programming and other media content for college students; Troll Communications, a publisher and distributor of children's books and educational material; and USApubs.com, a marketer of magazine subscriptions and other services through a variety of channels including the Internet. Willis Stein & Partners is a private equity investment firm specializing in investments in growing businesses targeting the media, telecommunications, business services, manufacturing and health care industries.