Tuesday, November 12, 2024
HomeEntertainmentParamount stock edges up as Bronfman reportedly mulls increasing bid again

Paramount stock edges up as Bronfman reportedly mulls increasing bid again

Published on

spot_img



Paramount’s beaten down stock price ticked up Monday following speculation that Edgar Bronfman Jr. may jack up his already-sweetened offer even higher to win the bidding war for the struggling media giant.

The veteran media executive reportedly raised his bid to $6 billion for National Amusements and a minority stake in Paramount Global last week — after initially offering $4.3 billion — in the latest twist over the company’s future.

However, Bronfman “may very well increase his bid yet again,” CNBC’s David Faber said on “Squawk Box” on Monday.

Shares of Paramount — home to movie studio Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV and Nickelodeon — rose 0.6%, to $11.40, in midday trading, despite questions surrounding the certainty of the mogul’s financing.

Media mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr. is reportedly mulling re-upping his bid or Paramount Global. Getty Images

Bronfman is still working on obtaining final signatures for his finance packaging, though he has all the investors in place, Bloomberg reported on Saturday,

Bronfman’s eleventh-hour offer threatens to undo the proposed deal between Shari Redstone and tech scion David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Now, the Paramount special committee must decide by Wednesday if Bronfman’s bid is superior and if it does, Skydance will have four business days to match it, according to reports.

As part of Bronfman’s offer, the heir to the Seagram’s liquor family fortune and former CEO of Warner Music Group has said he is open to keeping Redstone, whose family owns a 77% stake in National Amusements, involved in Paramount Global.

Bronfman’s latest offer for Paramount could see heiress Shari Redstone remaining involved in the company. Getty Images

He also plans to partner with Apple and Amazon to improve Paramount’s streaming business, which centers on its Paramount+ streaming service, Bloomberg said.

See also  Lucinda Williams talks about writing and performing rock 'n' roll after her stroke

Bronfman’s $6 billion bid includes $1.7 billion for a tender offer that would give non-Redstone, non-voting Paramount shareholders an option to cash out at a premium of $16 a share, according to reports.

That compares to Paramount’s agreement with Skydance, which has committed $4.3 billion to buy Class B shares, each for $15 cash.

David Ellison’s Skydance has been locked into prolonged negotiations to buy Paramount. REUTERS

Bronfman’s offer has ruffled feathers at Skydance, which accused Paramount’s special committee of directors of breaching the terms of its deal by extending the period when it can engage with other bidders for the company, The Wall Street Journal reported late last week.

The move follows protracted negotiations with Skydance and its boss Ellison, the 41-year-old son of billionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

Paramount’s special committee has until Wednesday to decide if Bronfman’s bid is superior to Skydance’s offer. APEX / MEGA

Ellison, who is getting the backing of his father to build a larger media empire by merging Skydance with Paramount, is also partnering with RedBird Capital and private equity firm KKR to provide a $1.5 billion cash infusion to help the media giant pay down its debt..



Source link

Latest articles

Many uncalled House races are in California. This is why it takes the state weeks to count votes

One week after Election Day, control of the U.S. House rests on just...

See Tyler, the Creator ‘Chromakopia’ Behind-the-Scenes Feature

Six-minute clip, Mask Is Off, ends with Tyler getting the mask on the...

Bologna, Italy, Is the Birthplace of Lasagna alla Bolognese — How to Visit

Located just about two hours from Florence, Bologna is an equally enticing...

More like this

Many uncalled House races are in California. This is why it takes the state weeks to count votes

One week after Election Day, control of the U.S. House rests on just...

See Tyler, the Creator ‘Chromakopia’ Behind-the-Scenes Feature

Six-minute clip, Mask Is Off, ends with Tyler getting the mask on the...