LSEG confirms Octus talks with Permira, $3.5bn
LSEG has confirmed it is in discussions with Permira to buy Octus, a credit-data provider, for a consideration of approximately $3.5 billion. The group responded after recent press speculation about the potential mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deal.
LSEG, the London-listed markets infrastructure group spanning exchange, data and analytics, and post-trade businesses, issued the statement through the Regulatory News Service (RNS), the channel listed companies use for market announcements. It went out at 2:16pm UK time on 13 October 2026.
The statement says it contains inside information under Article 7(1) of the UK Market Abuse Regulation. LSEG said: “No final agreement has been reached and no transaction is guaranteed.”
What Octus does
LSEG describes Octus as “a leading credit intelligence, data and workflow provider for buy-side firms, investment banks, law firms and advisory firms”. Buy-side firms are the investors, such as asset managers, that buy securities.
According to LSEG, Octus holds a leading position in illiquid and private credit, meaning debt that is hard to sell quickly and loans made outside public bond markets. Its proprietary data covers the full credit lifecycle.
LSEG also cites a strong record of double-digit revenue growth on a high-retention subscription model, in which customers keep renewing. The statement gives no Octus revenue or profit figures.
Why LSEG says it fits
LSEG argues that “Octus’ coverage and solutions are highly complementary to LSEG’s existing fixed income data & analytics and private markets solutions.”
It also says the purchase “would be immediately accretive to LSEG’s Data & Analytics and Group revenue growth”, meaning it would add to the rate at which that revenue grows.
Any transaction would need regulatory approval, LSEG will provide further information “as appropriate”, and it has set no timetable.
Operators at brokers, liquidity providers, exchanges and data firms have three things to watch: whether LSEG pushes further into credit and private-markets data, whether that changes pricing or bundling for rival vendors, and whether regulators clear a deal.
