Mountain View, Calif. - Google announced on Friday that it will acquire Internet advertising company DoubleClick for $3.1 billion in cash. The deal, expected to close by the end of 2007, is the largest acquisition in the company's history, coming six months after Google paid $1.65 billion for YouTube.

Founded in 1995, New York-based DoubleClick has been majority-owned since 2005 by Hellman & Friedman; other shareholders include JMI Equity and the company's management team.

The acquisition will combine DoubleClick's ad management technology for media buyers and sellers with Google's advertising platform and publisher monetization services.

"DoubleClick's technology is widely adopted by leading advertisers, publishers and agencies, and the combination of the two companies will accelerate the adoption of Google's innovative advances in display advertising," said Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Related Links:
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070413/20070413005593.html?.v=1

http://www.doubleclick.com