Millennial Media is a possibility.
Next up is
Velti Plc (
VELT). Velti has a global footprint in 15+ countries and has made some nice acquisitions, bolstering its business. In 2011, Velti acquired
Mobile Interactive Group (MIG), the UK's largest mobile marketing company, and also Air2Web, a leading provider of mobile customer relationship management (mCRM) solutions for consumer brands in the United States and India. As of January 2012, Velti completed its acquisition of CASEE, the largest mobile advertising exchange in China. Considering Facebook's scope, global reach is mandatory.
VELT stumbled on its first quarter earnings announcement, falling from $9.31 to $5.72 on May 16th. After the drop, Venti's market-cap is roughly $390 million, putting a minimum pricetag of $780 million on the interactive ad company.
That would be a steal.
At $780 million, Facebook could own VELT for 12 times 2013 earnings, and for 3.4 times next year's sales. Considering that analysts see the bottom line growing at 37% and the top line at 34.4%, Velti would make the money back in no time.
The third member of our trio is
MEDL Mobile Holdings, Inc. (MEDL.OB) and could be had for Mark Zuckerberg's walk around money. MEDL has a market cap of $22 million. Facebook wouldn't even miss the money if they bought MEDL for $50 million, regardless of valuation.
MEDL Mobile technology follows what apps users use and how the use them. The "Brain", as it is called, uses the information to build a Mobile Lifestyle. That's important as Zuckerberg told hedge fund managers, "Over the next 10 years or so, every consumer category should be transformed to be built around people."
To iStock, Velti Plc (VELT) seems to offer the best package of price and assets. But, who says they are limited to one purchase in the mobile ad space? They could add MEDL for pocket-change just for the Brain technology.
Before we go, iStock wants to throw one more name at you,
Groupon, Inc. (
GRPN). FB executives made a subtle, but very important point, that location is necessary to offer more relevant mobile ads.
While most Americans are used to, and annoyed with, phone sales, the hairstylist in Germany needs to be visited face-to-face to make the sale. Unlike the current alternatives, Groupon has the local sales teams in place already. It would be cheaper, in our view, for Facebook to buy an existing sales network than build a new one.
GRPN's management balked at $6 billion offer from
Google Inc. (
GOOG). Considering Groupon's recent accounting troubles, would they walk away from $9-$10 billion?
Facebook gets its money tomorrow, let the guessing games begin as to whom the company will fawn upon, licking it up like a friendly dog.