Why Active Network Shares Soared

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Active Network surged 26% this morning after private equity firm Vista Equity Partners agreed to acquire the cloud-based services provider for about $1.05 billion.

So what: The all-cash deal values Active Network at $14.50 per share and represents a premium of about 27% to its Friday closing price. Active Network's strong competitive position makes it a particularly "attractive investment" for Vista, reinforcing the secular growth tailwinds working in the cloud computing space's favor.

Now what: Active expects the deal to close before the end of the fourth quarter, contingent upon meeting a minimum tender condition, as well as regulatory approval. "This announcement represents a very positive event for our stockholders and allows ACTIVE to build on its success to date," said Jon Belmonte, interim CEO of Active. "We believe the partnership with Vista will position us to execute on our strategy and further enhance our industry leadership." So while Active Network shares are likely all popped out at this point, other smallish cloud plays like Guideware and Demandware might be buyout bait worth looking into.

More compelling tech plays
The tech world has been thrown into chaos as the biggest titans invade one another's turf. At stake is the future of a trillion-dollar revolution: mobile. To find out which of these giants is set to rule the next decade, we've created a free report called "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" Inside, you'll find out which companies are set to dominate, and we'll give in-the-know investors an edge. To grab a copy of this report, simply click here -- it's free!

The article Why Active Network Shares Soared originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Brian Pacampara has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends The Active Network. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.