ValueClick to buy marketing firm

Online advertising firm ValueClick has agreed to acquire privately held Web Marketing Holdings, an e-mail marketer, for $141 million in cash and stock. With Web Marketing Holdings, also known as Web Clients, ValueClick said it will expand its e-mail and Web marketing efforts. Privately held Web Clients, based in Harrisburg, Pa., runs a promotional network of 1,500 Web sites and markets to 30 million e-mail addresses. ValueClick also said it will buy online retailer E-Babylon to broaden its e-commerce infrastructure.

Under the terms of the Web Clients agreement, ValueClick will pay $122 million in cash and issue about 1.8 million shares of common stock for the company, including about 350,000 options to buy ValueClick shares. The deal is expected to close in July 2005.