San Francisco -- Buoyed by later-stage investing in the information
technology and health care sectors, valuations of U.S. venture-backed
companies hit their highest level in four years during the most recent
quarter. Overall, their medium pre-money valuation reached $16.8
million, about $4 million higher than this time a year ago, according to
new figures released by Dow Jones Newswires' VentureOne. It marks the
highest median pre-money valuation since the second quarter of 2001,
when the figure reached $17.4 million. The trend was particularly strong
in the IT sector, where the median valuation for companies rose to $18.4
million, the highest level since 2000, and the median amount paid for a
company was $59.5 million, nearly $25 million more than a year ago.
http://www.ventureone.com/