You might be looking at your portfolio right now and wondering why the ticker for Dun & Bradstreet looks a little weird—or why it isn't moving at all. Honestly, if you haven’t checked the news since early last year, you’re in for a bit of a shock. The legendary data giant isn't a public company anymore.
Basically, the era of Dun and Bradstreet stock as a publicly traded entity on the New York Stock Exchange ended on August 26, 2025.
It was a wild ride. One minute, analysts were debating whether the company could actually scale its AI-driven risk management tools, and the next, a massive private equity firm stepped in with a checkbook large enough to end the conversation. Specifically, Clearlake Capital Group finished its acquisition of the company in a deal valued at roughly $7.7 billion, including debt. If you were holding shares, you probably saw them converted into cash at $9.15 apiece.
The $7.7 Billion Disappearing Act
It’s kinda fascinating how quickly a century-old name can just vanish from the tickers. When Clearlake made their move, it wasn't exactly a surprise to everyone on the inside, but the $9.15 per share price point left some investors feeling a bit "meh." For context, the stock had been swinging between roughly $7.78 and nearly $13.00 over the previous year.
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A lot of people were hoping for a bigger premium. But the board saw the writing on the wall. Revenue growth was hovering around 2%, and while the international segment was showing some spark with 5.6% growth, the North American side—the bread and butter—was struggling to keep its head above water.
The deal moved fast.
- March 2024: Rumors start swirling.
- June 2025: Shareholders officially say "yes" (about 78% of them showed up to vote).
- August 2025: The lights go out on the NYSE listing.
If you still see "DNB" in some old tracking apps, you’re likely looking at stale data or perhaps the Norwegian bank DNB Bank ASA, which is a totally different animal. Don't confuse the two, or you'll be very confused by the dividend yield.
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Why the Private Equity Move Makes Sense Now
Private equity firms like Clearlake love companies like Dun & Bradstreet because they have "sticky" data. Think about it: if you’re a massive corporation, you can’t just stop using credit scores or risk assessment data overnight. It’s baked into the plumbing of global commerce.
However, being public is expensive and annoying, especially when you're trying to pivot to AI. In early 2025, the company was reporting GAAP net losses, even though their "adjusted" numbers looked okay. They needed to spend a ton of money on tech upgrades without having to explain every quarterly dip to grumpy shareholders.
Honestly, the move to take dun and bradstreet stock private was a mercy killing for the volatility. Now, they can focus on "D&B.AI" and their massive database of 600 million organizations without the pressure of a daily stock price.
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What This Means for Your Money Today
Since the company is private, you can't buy shares on E*TRADE or Robinhood anymore. It's gone. If you were a shareholder and never got your money, you've probably got a check sitting in an escheatment office or with your broker's "unclaimed funds" department.
For the rest of the market, this exit removed a major player from the "professional services" sector. It shifted the spotlight onto competitors like Experian, Equifax, and even smaller, nimble fintechs that are trying to steal D&B's lunch.
Some people are still betting that Clearlake will "fix" the margins and bring D&B back to the public markets in three or four years with a shiny new IPO. It’s the classic private equity playbook: buy it, cut the fat, sprinkle some AI on it, and sell it back to the public for twice the price.
Actionable Steps for Former Shareholders and Interested Investors:
- Check your brokerage statements: If you held DNB through August 2025, ensure you received the $9.15 per share cash payout. If not, contact your broker immediately.
- Look at the peers: If you liked the "data moat" that Dun & Bradstreet had, keep an eye on Equifax (EFX) or TransUnion (TRU). They are dealing with similar macroeconomic headwinds but remain public.
- Watch for the re-emergence: Set a Google Alert for "Dun & Bradstreet IPO." Private equity exits usually take 3–5 years, so we might see them back on the board by 2028 or 2029.
- Evaluate your "Business Data" exposure: If you’re an institutional investor, look into private credit or private equity funds that have exposure to Clearlake if you still want a piece of the D&B action.
The story of the stock is over for now, but the company itself is just starting a very expensive, very quiet transformation behind closed doors.