TLDR
IVE Group is acquiring place-based screen operator Motio for A$20.7 million in equity value, a 15.4% premium to last close, funded from existing debt and cash. The deal gives IVE its first owned media inventory across 1,300 screens in health, café and venue environments, and is targeted to complete in early December 2026.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The deal
IVE Group (Australian Securities Exchange: IGL) signed a binding Scheme Implementation Deed to acquire 100% of Motio Limited (ASX: MXO) via a members' scheme of arrangement, with both companies disclosing the terms on 21 September 2026.[1] The offer of A$0.060 cash per share implies a fully diluted equity value of A$20.7 million and a 15.4% premium to Motio's last close, with enterprise value sitting at A$16.7 million after accounting for Motio's net cash position.[1]
IVE will fund the acquisition entirely from existing debt facilities and cash. Pro forma net debt to FY26 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) lands at approximately 1.67 times post-deal, and IVE expects the transaction to be earnings-per-share-accretive from the first full year of ownership.[1]
What IVE is buying
Motio runs five digital place-based media networks, Health, Café, Venue, Play and Drive, covering more than 1,300 owned screens across approximately 1,000 locations nationally, all positioned in high-dwell environments where audiences remain stationary for extended periods.[2] Motio holds multi-year site licences that lock in inventory well ahead of any campaign booking.[3]
Motio posted FY26 revenue of A$9.2 million, up 8% on a like-for-like basis, with cash EBITDA of A$2.5 million, up 31%, for a margin of 27.2%, ending the period debt-free with net cash of approximately A$3.94 million.[2] The Motio board voted unanimously to recommend the scheme, with every director intending to vote their own shares in favour.[1]
| Metric | Figure | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | A$9.2 million | +8% like-for-like |
| Cash EBITDA | A$2.5 million | +31% |
| EBITDA margin | 27.2% | — |
| Net cash at year-end | A$3.94 million | Debt-free |
IVE's first screen inventory
Every acquisition IVE completed through 2025, including Impressu Print Group and Daily Press, stayed inside print production. Motio breaks that pattern, making IVE a media owner for the first time, holding its own screen inventory rather than producing material for channels controlled by others.
IVE Managing Director Matt Aitken said the strategic logic was clear: "Motio is a profitable place-based media owner with a differentiated network in environments where audiences are typically stationary and attentive, giving IVE the ability to offer clients a channel they cannot currently access from IVE and giving Motio's network access to one of the largest advertiser bases in the country."[4]
Australia's out-of-home advertising market generated approximately A$1.45 billion in net revenue in 2025, up 11.4% year-on-year. Digital formats accounted for more than 77% of revenue in the first half of FY26.[2]
The scheme still requires Motio shareholder approval, court approval, and an independent expert confirming the deal is in shareholders' best interests. Motio must also maintain at least A$4 million in net cash before the second court date. The scheme booklet is expected in early November, with implementation targeted for early December 2026.[1]
SOURCES & CITATIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is IVE Group paying for Motio?
What does Motio actually operate?
When will the deal complete?
Is this IVE's first move into media ownership?
Xaviery Malinao writes for Prompt the Market on how brands and agencies are adapting to answer engines, drawing on Bushnote's work with clients across search, AI search and content.
