Domain Group
{{short description|Australian digital real estate information company}}
{{use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{use Australian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Domain Holdings Australia Ltd
| trade_name = Domain Group
| logo = DomainGroup Logo STACK RGB GREEN.svg
| type = Public company
| traded_as = {{ASX|DHG}}
| foundation = 1999
| founder =
| hq_location = 100 Harris Street
| hq_location_city = Pyrmont
| hq_location_country = Australia
| revenue = {{profit}} A$289.6 million (2021){{cite web|url=https://shareholders.domain.com.au/DownloadFile.axd?file=/Report/ComNews/20210817/02407600.pdf|title=Domain Holdings Australia Limited 2021 Full Year Results Announcement"|publisher=shareholders.domain.com.au|access-date=2021-11-12}}
| key_people = Jason Pellegrino{{cite news|last1=Mason|first1=Max|last2=Whyte|first2=Jemima|title=Domain taps Google's Jason Pellegrino as new CEO|url=https://www.afr.com/business/media-and-marketing/advertising/domain-taps-googles-jason-pellegrino-as-new-ceo-20180703-h125yk|work=Australian Financial Review|date=3 July 2018}} (CEO)
| industry = Real estate
| num_employees = 900+
| brands = {{Hlist|domain.com.au|commercialrealestate.com.au|allhomes.com.au|pricefinder.com.au}}
| owners = Nine Entertainment (60%)
CoStar Group (20%)
| homepage = {{URL|https://domain.com.au}}
}}
Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (or simply Domain or Domain Group) is an Australian digital property portal and associated real-estate industry business. It is best known for its real-estate website domain.com.au, and also owns the brands commercialrealestate.com.au and allhomes.com.au. The company was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fairfax Media from 1999 until November 2017, when Domain was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange as a public company, although Fairfax Media (now Nine Entertainment) retained a 60% ownership of shares. In May 2025, CoStar Group entered an agreement to acquire the company.
History
The company was founded by Fairfax Media, when the publisher branded their real-estate sections in print with the Domain brand and first established an online presence in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://domain.com.au/ |title=domain.com.au: Property from Every Angle |publisher=web.archive.org |access-date=2015-04-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991127212128/http://domain.com.au/ |archive-date=November 27, 1999 }}
In February 2015, the Australian Financial Review published an article highlighting Credit Suisse analyst expectations of a likely float of the Domain Group in the future, and attributed an AUD $1.3 billion valuation to the group.{{cite web|url=http://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/fairfax-still-likely-to-float-domain-credit-suisse-says-20150220-13k6lv|title=Fairfax still likely to float Domain, Credit Suisse says | afr.com|publisher=afr.com|access-date=2015-04-29}} On 21 February 2017 trading in Fairfax shares was suspended{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/fairfax-shares-in-trading-halt-ahead-of-domain-announcement/news-story/9dd929723fba445af85a46712434d9cd|title=Fairfax shares in trading halt ahead of Domain announcement|website=The Australian}} until half yearly results and an announcement of intent to turn Domain into a listed entity were announced.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/fairfax-media-confirms-domain-spin-off-reports-six-per-cent-growth-in-half-year-profits-20170221-guhwy5.html|title= Fairfax Media confirms Domain spin-off}} Domain Group was widely seen to "prop up" Fairfax revenues, as the company's publishing divisions were struggling.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/feb/19/fairfax-media-posts-274m-profit-despite-lower-print-advertising-revenue|title= Fairfax Media posts $27.4m profit despite lower print advertising revenue |work=The Guardian|date=19 February 2016|access-date=24 November 2017|first=Amanda|last=Meade}}{{cite web|url=https://mumbrella.com.au/domain-drives-growth-for-fairfax-347747|title=Domain drives growth for Fairfax as company continues on path from print to digital|date=19 February 2016|first=Miranda|last=Ward|work=Mumbrella|access-date=24 November 2017}} Domain began trading on the Australian Securities Exchange on 16 November 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.adnews.com.au/news/domain-valued-at-2-2-billion-after-listing-on-asx|title=Domain valued at $2.2 billion after listing on ASX|first=Lindsay|last=Bennett|work=Ad News|date=16 November 2017|access-date=24 November 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/the-business/2017-11-16/domain-listed-on-the-asx-at-noon/9159680|title=Domain listed on the ASX at noon|work=ABC News|access-date=24 November 2017|date=16 November 2017}}
Having acquired a 20% shareholding in Domain, CoStar Group launched a takeover offer in February 2025.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Sarah |last2=Sood |first2=Kanika |last3=Rapaport |first3=Emma |date=2025-02-20 |title=American real estate giant CoStar eyes Domain takeover bid |url=https://www.afr.com/street-talk/macquarie-capital-oversees-sharemarket-raid-on-domain-holdings-20250219-p5ldek |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}}[https://announcements.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20250221/pdf/06frz91957l27z.pdf Domain receives Unxolicited, Non-Binding Indicative Proposal from CoStar Group] Domain 21 February 2025 In May 2025, CoStar entered an agreement to acquire 100% of the company for A$3 billion.{{Cite news |last=Akhand |first=Himanshi |last2=Chatterjee |first2=Rishav |date=9 May 2025 |title=CoStar to buy Australia's Domain in $1.9 billion deal, eyes REA's market dominance |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-real-estate-firm-costar-buy-australias-domain-19-billion-deal-2025-05-09/ |access-date=10 May 2025 |work=Reuters}}
Portfolio
The Domain Group is best known for its real-estate portal domain.com.au, which is Australia's second largest real-estate marketing business, with 90% market penetration.{{cite web|url=http://www.rebonline.com.au/breaking-news/8925-domain-starts-year-with-big-subscription-growth|title=Domain starts year with big subscription growth – REB|publisher=rebonline.com.au|access-date=2015-04-29}} It competes directly with market leader REA Group, running real-estate.com.au, which is majority-owned by Nine rival News Corp Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.fool.com.au/2015/04/01/is-domain-com-au-catching-up-to-rea-group-limited/|title=Is Domain.com.au catching up to REA Group Limited? | Motley Fool Australia|publisher=fool.com.au|access-date=2015-04-29}}{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/fairfax-says-domain-no-longer-a-distant-number-two/story-e6frg8zx-1227286893190|title=Domain says it's 'no longer No 2'|publisher=The Australian|access-date=2015-04-29}}
As of August 2023, the Domain Group consists of a portfolio of businesses{{cite web|url=https://www.domain.com.au/group/about-us/portfolio/|title=Portfolio- Domain Group|publisher=domain.com.au}} including but not limited to:
- The Domain (domain.com.au) and Allhomes (allhomes.com.au) residential property listings portals
- The Commercial Real Estate commercial property portal (commercialrealestate.com.au)
- Domain Media media agency (domainmedia.com.au)
- Domain Review, Domain and Domain Prestige magazines
- Pricefinder, a property data business whose products focus on modelling projected values of real estate for investors, agents and financial institutions
- RealTime Agent point of sale platform
- Homepass estate agent CRM
Cricket sponsorship
In June 2018, Domain Group were announced as platinum partner{{cite web |last1=AAP |title=Cricket Australia signs naming rights deal |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/cricket-australia-mens-test-sponsor-naming-rights-deal-domain/2018-06-25 |access-date=10 October 2018 |website=cricket.com.au}} of the Australian men's cricket team.{{cite web |last1=Duke |first1=Jennifer |title=‘Domain Ashes’: Real estate group partners with Cricket Australia |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/domain-ashes-real-estate-group-partners-with-cricket-australia-20180624-p4znf0.html |access-date=10 October 2018 |website=Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media}} Under the deal, Domain became the presenting partner of men's test cricket over four years, which included the Ashes, and became the official real estate partner of Cricket Australia.{{cite web |last1=McDonnell |first1=Josh |date=25 June 2018 |title=Cricket Australia continues sponsor rebuild with new Domain deal |url=http://www.adnews.com.au/news/cricket-australia-continues-sponsor-rebuild-with-new-domain-deal |access-date=10 October 2018 |publisher=AdNews}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.domain.com.au}}
{{Nine Entertainment}}
{{S&P/ASX 200}}
Category:Real estate companies established in 1999
Category:Technology companies established in 1999
Category:1999 establishments in Australia
Category:2017 initial public offerings
Category:Companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange