Yes, it’s more Spotify financial news as new details around its acquisition last week of The Echo Nest are being leaked. TechCrunch is reporting that the deal was worth $100m but that 90% of that came in the form of equity in the streaming music service. Another rumour suggested the price could have been as high as $135, including $15m to be split between The Echo Nest’s three founders, $20m for employee cash earn outs and $90m in deferred earn outs. Spotify is not commenting on the terms of the deal. Given that Spotify is still racking up significant losses while simultaneously expanding into new markets (with Japan a possibility this year), an acquisition deal based around equity will reduce the pressure on its immediate cash flow – it raised $250m in November in new investment – and bulk up the value of the company significantly ahead of a long-rumoured IPO. If and when the IPO happens, how or if labels (which have an equity stake) pay that through to artists could make the royalties controversy fired up last year by Thom Yorke and David Byrne seem like a convivial chat around the fireside.
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Tools: Kaiber
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