Squarespace Becomes Private Company With $7.2 Billion Permira Deal

Core Insights - Squarespace is transitioning to a private company through a merger with private equity firm Permira, with the deal now valued at $7.2 billion, an increase from the previously announced $6.4 billion [1] - The transaction has been approved by a special committee of Squarespace's board, emphasizing the focus on maximizing value for unaffiliated stockholders [2] Company Performance - Squarespace reported exceeding $1 billion in revenue in Q4 2023 and introduced Squarespace Payments, a native payment solution for merchants [4] - Approximately 46% of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the U.S. utilize Squarespace for their online operations, with 28.2% identifying it as their primary platform [3] Industry Context - American private equity firms have invested $162 billion in anticipation of a resurgence in deal-making activity [5] - The current deal market is experiencing optimism, with expectations of a pent-up supply of deals coming to market [6]