Criteo acquires data specialist DataPop, market cap passes $2.5 Billion

Criteo releases its Q4 2014 results, and Wall Street is happy. 4th quarter revenue is up 69% compared to 2013 at €233 Million, and the company is up to 7,000 clients & 9,000 publishers. The company also announced the acquisition of Los Angeles-based DataPop, a 40-employee startup which specializes  in connecting the products a retailer’s catalog to user shopping intent. That acquisition cost the retargeting specialist at least 10 Million euros, according to 2015 guidance reports. DataPop provides services similar to France’s Lengow, whom we interviewed earlier this week.
Criteo’s stock soared above $45/share after settling at 43.56 (+0.61%).
Criteo CEO Jean-Baptiste Rudelle announced that the company would be doubling down investments in technology, with plans in 2015 to overhaul its predictive engine, which currently provides bidders with pricing based off the anticipation that the user will click and purchase.
Rudelle also announced that the company is expanding its reaches into the Facebook ad universe, with clients now able to push ads to users browsing on sites via their Facebook ID.
Criteo continues to push into its multiscreen solution, hoping to follow users wherever they go. Up until now, their mobile solution offered limited access to mobile browsers (missing out on the greater mobile app advertising opportunity); however, it’s clear that Criteo has both the financial means (the company saw $35 Million in profits in 2014, up from $1 Million in 2013) as well as the technical ambition to become an unavoidable force for eCommerce players looking to reach potential buyers.