Shares in YouGov (YOU) were trading up over 1% in morning at 945p against a weak UK backdrop as the international online research and data analytics group said it could move its primary listing to the US or establish a secondary listing across the Atlantic.

In a story in the Financial Times, chair of the group Stephan Shakespeare said the group was ‘considering moving its listing following a recent acquisition that had bolstered its operations’.

Shakespeare, with his family, owns about eight per cent of the company, which floated in London in 2005 and is valued at more than £1 billion, the Financial Times added.

Shakespeare founded YouGov with former chancellor of the exchequer Nadhim Zahawi in 2000. He has recently moved to the role of non-executive director, after being chief executive.

Steve Hatch, former Meta (META:NASDAQ) vice-president of Northern Europe, replaced Shakespeare as CEO at the start of August.

If YouGov decides to list in the US, it will join a growing list of companies which are attempting to seek higher valuations and attract more investors.

CRH shares up 11% as it picks US in a blow to the London market

Earlier in the year, buildings material firm CRH (CRH) signaled its intention to quit the FTSE 100 and seek a primary listing in the US which accounts for most of its earnings.

The chip designer ARM has also said it will list in the US rather than opting for a return to London.

TRIGGER POINT GFK ACQUISITION

Shakespeare said YouGov’s move to the US has become more viable due to its recent acquisition of GfK’s consumer panel business for €315 million in July this year.

The GfK business is a leader in household purchase data, with panels across 16 European countries.

YouGov said at the time it would fund the acquisition through a placing of new ordinary shares ‘expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately £55 million, with the remainder of the cash consideration financed by a fully committed bridge debt facility and existing cash on balance sheet’.

EXPERT VIEW

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell said: ‘Market research and data analytics firm YouGov is the latest UK-listed firm to consider a listing in the US – in search of the higher valuations typically afforded to shares across the Atlantic.

‘YouGov has arguably entered a new phase of its development following the recent acquisition of Germany’s GfK consumer panel business.’

Disclaimer: Financial services company AJ Bell referenced in the article owns Shares magazine. The author of the article (Sabuhi Gard) and the editor of the article (Ian Conway) own shares in AJ Bell.

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