Troy-based J.D. Power could fetch $6.5 billion in a new bid to sell, as private equity owner Thoma Bravo once again explores an exit from the automotive data giant headquartered in metro Detroit. The figure marks a notable step down from the roughly $8 billion valuation Thoma Bravo had targeted when it first tested the sale market back in early 2024.
The potential deal was reported by Crain's Detroit Business, which covers the Troy company's place in the local tech and automotive economy. J.D. Power, known for its data, analytics and consumer intelligence work, has operated out of Troy since a 2019 merger with automotive software firm Autodata Solutions. Thoma Bravo announced an agreement to acquire J.D. Power in July 2019, according to PR Newswire.
A Lower Price Tag Than 2024's Ambitions
This is not Thoma Bravo's first attempt to cash out. In February 2024, CBT News reported that the firm was working with a financial advisor to gauge buyer interest at an estimated $8 billion valuation including debt, though those early discussions never produced a finalized transaction.
S&P Global Ratings reported pro forma trailing-12-month revenue of about $878 million through March 31, 2025, and discussed growth in recurring revenue and recurring product lines. J.D. Power made its Autovista acquisition in early 2024, and the deal contributed to full-year revenue. That deal was part of a broader strategy under Thoma Bravo's ownership that turned J.D. Power from a traditional market research outfit into a global software and data platform.
New CEO, Long Corporate History
J.D. Power is now being guided through this sale process by Joshua Peirez, who was appointed CEO in May 2025, succeeding Dave Habiger. Peirez previously served as CEO of Sterling Check Corp, according to Thoma Bravo's own announcement of the leadership change.
The company's roots trace back to 1968, when J.D. Power was founded, reportedly beginning at a kitchen table before it grew into the automotive industry's benchmark research firm. The company's corporate headquarters moved to Troy following the 2019 Autodata merger, cementing its presence in metro Detroit. That local footprint has only deepened since, with Thomas King, president of automotive and OEM solutions at J.D. Power, appearing at the NADA Show in Las Vegas in February.
Debt Load Weighed Against Data Advantage
Any prospective buyer will have to weigh J.D. Power's financial leverage against its competitive position. S&P Global Ratings affirmed a 'B-' issuer credit rating for the company's operating parent entity, Project Boost Purchaser, LLC, in a July 17, 2025, research update. Its 2025 refinancing analysis expected strong free operating cash flow and interest savings.
S&P Global Ratings has described J.D. Power's proprietary data stack and its role in the auto industry as artificial intelligence reshapes other corners of the data industry. The company also operates in non-automotive sectors, including financial services and healthcare.
J.D. Power has continued expanding its product lineup even as the sale talk unfolds. At its Auto Summit in February, the company forecast 2026 total U.S. new-vehicle sales at 16.3 million units while unveiling a centralized software portal called the Power Platform, intended to unify client tools across automotive workflows, Auto Finance News reported.
A Decade of Rising Valuations
The $6.5 billion figure now in play stands in sharp contrast to where J.D. Power's valuation stood a decade earlier. In September 2016, McGraw Hill Financial sold the company to XIO Group for $1.1 billion, according to S&P Global, after McGraw Hill had owned the business since 2005. The gap between that figure and today's reported asking price illustrates how much the company's scale and data assets have grown under successive owners.
For metro Detroit, the stakes extend beyond boardroom math. J.D. Power's Troy headquarters anchors a company whose industry rankings regularly make national headlines, and a sale could have implications for local jobs and the company's long-term direction, which remain unresolved.
