Amazon.com Inc. is close to an agreement to buy the ad-serving technology of bankrupt company Sizmek Inc. in a deal that would give the e-commerce giant another weapon against Google’s dominant online ad business, Bloomberg News reported. The purchase could be announced as soon as this week, according to two people briefed on the matter. The deal hasn’t been finalized. Sizmek has been selling off businesses as part of bankruptcy proceedings it initiated in March. At the time, Sizmek estimated its assets were worth $100 million to $500 million, and it has already sold some pieces to Zeta Global Holdings Corp. for around $36 million. Sizmek’s Ad Server, which helps advertisers place spots around the internet and measure their effectiveness, competes directly with Google’s Marketing Platform, formerly known as DoubleClick. Scooping up ad-serving technology would bolster the pitch Seattle-based Amazon is making to advertisers to persuade them to shift money to its platform.
