Google to buy Doubleclick for USD 3.1bn

Google has agreed to buy Doubleclick for USD 3.1 billion in its biggest-ever acquisition to gain software for creating and measuring internet advertising campaigns.

The acquisition is a windfall for Hellman & Friedman. The San Francisco-based private equity firm had bought Doubleclick for USD 1.1 billion in 2005. Google will pay cash for the acquisition.

The move also extends Google's lead over Microsoft and Yahoo in the USD 29 billion online advertising market.