IHS buys Jane's Information Group for $183.5 mn

New York, June 13: Energy and information services company IHS Inc. said it bought Jane's Information Group from Woodbridge Co.Ltd. for about 3.5 million in stock.

IHS acquired the publisher of Jane's Defence Weekly through the issuance of 4.399 million shares of new IHS common stock, the company said in a statement. The price was based on the Monday, June 11, closing price of .71 for IHS stock, the company said.

IHS provides military and aerospace parts, standards and regulatory databases, as well as related ''decision-support tools'' and services. Jane's, founded in 1898, provides information and analysis on global defense and security.

IHS also provides databases and information related to the energy, electronics, construction and automotive industries.

Jeff Tarr, IHS's president and chief operating officer of its engineering division, said that there is a common audience for energy and security topics.

''If you think about the defense establishment and you think about the energy industry, both have a common interest in geographies that are rich in hydrocarbons,'' he said. ''That's where defense issues are most critical.'' As part of the agreement, Woodbridge agreed to a three-year lockup agreement that restricts its ability to sell any IHS shares, IHS said.

Woodbridge is the private company of the Thomson family, the biggest shareholder in Thomson Corp. which plans to buy Reuters Group Plc.

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