Criteo Speculation Sparks Shares In Automated Marketing Sector

Criteo SA's CRTO big move in the market Friday on merger speculation sparked investor interest in shares of at least three other digital marketing companies.

Criteo jumped more than 18 percent on a report that the French multinational advertising and public relations agency Publicis Groupe SA was mulling a bid on Paris-based Criteo.

There are few other "meaningful" acquisitions possible in this market, where Criteo is one of the "very best and largest" players, BNP Paribas analyst Charles Bedouelle told Reuters Friday.

The digital advertising company TubeMogul TUBE extended a rally Friday that began Wednesday after it posted second-quarter revenue growth of 127 percent and beat Street views.

TubeMogul traded up more than eight percent Friday to $13.95 a share.

Rocket Fuel FUEL, which provides software for automated ad buys, gained two percent Friday to $16.01 a share.

Automated marketing and customer relations company Marketo MKTO gained 1.5 percent to $27.17.

Salesforce.com CRM, which provides automated marketing and analysis, rose 1.5 percent to $29.17.