Macrovision has announced the pending sale of its Business Software Unit to private equity firm Thoma Cressey Bravo. Included in the transaction are Flexnet copy protection solutions and InstallShield.
The transaction will result in a stand-alone company focused on providing solutions that help simplify the business relationship between software producers and enterprises. All products and associated support and services from within the Software Business Unit are part of the transaction. Mark Bishof, currently Macrovision’s Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Software Business Unit, will assume the role of CEO for the stand-alone software company following the close of the transaction.
It would appear that Macrovision is spinning this out to focus on higher margin and/or higher growth opportunities, such as the SPDC/BD+ technologies it acquired from Cryptography Research, Inc. at the end of last year. Macrovision will also be "digesting" the acquisition of Gemstar / TV Guide.
