Claranova Signs Agreement to Sell PlanetArt Division for $175m, Focuses on SaaS Business Model

Claranova has signed an agreement to sell its PlanetArt division to General Atlantic Credit and PlanetArt's management team for $175m. The transaction will reduce Claranova's debt and focus its business on software publishing, with a SaaS model. The sale is subject to a shareholder meeting approval and is expected to close on June 30, 2025.

Paris, June 19, 2025 — Claranova, a global leader in e-commerce for personalized objects and software publishing, has signed an agreement to sell its PlanetArt division to an entity controlled by General Atlantic Credit's Atlantic Park fund and PlanetArt's management team. The transaction, valued at US$175m, reflects Claranova's strategic shift towards a more dynamic and efficient company, focusing on software publishing with a SaaS (Software as a Service) business model [1].

The sale, subject to approval by the Shareholders’ Meeting on June 27, 2025, is expected to close by June 30, 2025. This move will significantly reduce Claranova's debt, allowing the company to accelerate its organic growth and improve its financial structure. Claranova's Chief Executive Officer, Eric Gareau, commented, "This sale marks a major strategic milestone for Claranova, as it enables us to refocus on software publishing and drive growth in our core segments, Photo, Utilities, and PDF" [1].

The transaction involves the sale of all shares of PlanetArt Holdings Inc., held by Claranova Development, a 100% subsidiary of Claranova SE. The sale price, which takes into account intra-group debts canceled in favor of Claranova and transaction-related costs, totals US$175m. Claranova will receive US$140m in cash, with the remaining US$29.5m to be reinvested by PlanetArt's management team [1].

The proceeds from this sale will primarily be used to reduce Claranova's debt, including repaying a significant portion of the Cheyne loan. Claranova has also decided to repay the SaarLB pool debt in full. Post-transaction, Claranova's financial debt is expected to decrease from €153m to €50m [1].

The sale is subject to shareholder approval and will be voted on at the General Meeting scheduled for June 27, 2025. Claranova's financial calendar includes the release of FY 2024-2025 revenue on July 31, 2025, and the FY 2024-2025 results on October 29, 2025 [1].

References:
[1] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250622160378/en/Claranova-Signature-of-Agreement-for-the-Sale-of-the-PlanetArt-Business