PARAMOUNT FILES PROXY MATERIALS AND EXTENDS TENDER OFFER
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- Amended Netflix merger agreement represents acknowledgment by WBD that its original agreement was inferior, but new transaction remains inferior to Paramount's
$30 per share all cash offer - Paramount will solicit WBD shareholders to vote against the Netflix transaction and other proposals at WBD special meeting
- Paramount extends its tender offer as it continues to work toward regulatory clearance
In the materials filed by WBD in connection with its amended Netflix merger agreement, WBD revealed for the first time some of the critical information that had been withheld from its shareholders, but it still has omitted highly material information its shareholders need about Discovery Global:
The consideration payable to WBD shareholders in the Netflix transaction falls well short of Paramount's
- In the Netflix transaction, WBD shareholders will receive
$27.75 per share in cash, or less if WBD is unsuccessful in putting$17 billion in debt on Discovery Global (assuming the separation occurs as ofJune 30, 2026 ). If WBD has to allocate some or all of that debt back to its Streaming and Studios business, that will reduce the per share consideration dollar-for-dollar that WBD shareholders will receive. - If the declining Discovery Global business is leveraged in line with its closest comparable company, Versant Media, at 1.25x NTM EBITDA, it could only support
~$5.1 billion of net debt as ofJune 30, 2026 . At that debt level,~$11.9 billion would be transferred to Warner Bros. Studio & Streaming business, reducing the cash per share from Netflix to WBD shareholders to~$23.20 . - It is worth noting that
$17 billion is an even higher level of debt than Paramount assumed for Discovery Global when it released its own analysis of the equity value of between$0.00 and$0.50 per share1. - WBD's own financial advisors provided discounted cash flow valuation analyses of the Discovery Global equity value as low as
$0.72 per share. - Despite the fact that the capital structure of Discovery Global will directly determine the actual amount WBD shareholders receive in the Netflix transaction, and WBD will be required to disclose such information as well as full financial information about Discovery Global at the time of the separation, WBD plans to solicit shareholder approval for the Netflix transaction without this information. This is even more extraordinary given that the WBD Board uses claims about the value of the Discovery Global equity as a basis for asserting the transaction delivers more than Paramount's
$30 per share all-cash offer. - WBD is rushing to solicit shareholder approval for the Netflix transaction even though, in its own words, "WBD stockholders will not know or be able to determine the specific Merger Consideration that will be paid to WBD stockholders upon consummation of the [Netflix] Merger."
The Netflix transaction faces severe regulatory risk because it would further entrench market concentration, in contrast to a combination with Paramount that enhances competition and strengthens the long-term prospects of the entertainment industry.
- The Netflix transaction would materially entrench Netflix's market dominance, giving it an estimated 43% share of global Subscription Video on Demand subscribers and leading to higher prices for consumers, reduced compensation for content creators and talent, and significant harm to American and international theatrical exhibitors.
- Netflix's regulatory path is particularly challenged in
Europe , where Netflix is by far the dominant streaming service and where WBD's HBO Max is its only viable international competitor. - Netflix has unsuccessfully sought to address these concerns by putting forward a non-credible market definition of the streaming market that includes services like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook and that no regulator has ever accepted.
- By contrast, the combination of Paramount and WBD is pro-competitive, with moviegoers, studio workers and creative talent all set to thrive thanks to the combined company's expanded theatrical film production and content.
Our offer remains superior on both value and certainty.
- The WBD Board was publicly defending the prior Netflix transaction even as it was negotiating a new merger agreement, an admission about the inferior aspects of the deal.
- The WBD Board refused to engage with Paramount's representatives even after it decided to reopen negotiations with Netflix on its transaction.
- The WBD Board continues to withhold highly material information about Discovery Global while moving forward to seek shareholder approval that will cut off any ability for WBD shareholders to receive the benefits of Paramount's value-maximizing offer.
Shareholders with questions about how to vote their WBD shares AGAINST the inferior Netflix transaction may contact Paramount's proxy solicitor Okapi Partners at (212) 297-0720, Toll-Free: (844) 343-2621, or by email at [email protected].
Paramount has extended the expiration date of its tender offer to
The tender offer statement and related materials have been filed with the SEC. WBD shareholders who need additional copies of the tender offer statement and related materials or who have questions regarding the offer should contact Okapi Partners LLC, the information agent for the tender offer, toll-free at (844) 343-2621.
Further details of Paramount's amended offer can be found here.
Paramount urges WBD shareholders to register their preference for Paramount's superior offer with the WBD Board of Directors by tendering their shares today.
WBD shareholders and other interested parties can find additional information about Paramount's superior offer at www.StrongerHollywood.com.
1 Paramount reaffirms commitment to delivering superior
About Paramount, a Skydance Corporation
Paramount, a Skydance Corporation is a leading, next-generation global media and entertainment company, comprised of three business segments: Studios, Direct-to-Consumer, and TV Media. Paramount's portfolio unites legendary brands, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, CBS – America's most-watched broadcast network, CBS News, CBS Sports, Nickelodeon, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Showtime, Paramount+, Paramount TV, and Skydance's Animation, Film, Television, Interactive/Games, and Sports divisions. For more information, visit paramount.com.
PSKY-IR
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains both historical and forward-looking statements, including statements related to Paramount Skydance Corporation's ("Paramount") future financial results and performance, potential achievements, anticipated reporting segments and industry changes and developments. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". Similarly, statements that describe Paramount's objectives, plans or goals are or may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect Paramount's current expectations concerning future results and events; generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "likely," "will," "may," "could," "estimate" or other similar words or phrases; and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and which may cause Paramount's actual results, performance or achievements to be different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: the outcome of the tender offer by Paramount and Prince Sub Inc. (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash all of the outstanding Series A common stock of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. ("WBD") or any discussions between Paramount and WBD with respect to a possible transaction (including, without limitation, by means of the Tender Offer, the "Potential Transaction"), including the possibility that the Tender Offer will not be successful, that the parties will not agree to pursue a business combination transaction or that the terms of any such transaction will be materially different from those described herein; the conditions to the completion of the Potential Transaction or the previously announced transaction between WBD and Netflix, Inc. ("Netflix") pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated
Additional Information
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. This communication relates to a proposal that Paramount has made for an acquisition of WBD, the Tender Offer that Paramount, through Prince Sub Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary, has made to WBD stockholders, and Paramount's intention to solicit proxies against the Proposed Netflix Transaction and other proposals to be voted on by WBD stockholders at the special meeting of WBD stockholders to be held to approve the Proposed Netflix Transaction (the "Netflix Merger Solicitation") and/or for use at the WBD annual meeting of stockholders. The Tender Offer is being made pursuant to a tender offer statement on Schedule TO (including the offer to purchase, the letter of transmittal and other related offer documents), filed with the SEC on
Paramount, Prince Sub Inc. and the other participants in the Netflix Merger Solicitation have filed a preliminary proxy statement and the accompanying BLUE proxy card with the SEC on
PARAMOUNT STRONGLY ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF WBD TO READ THE SPECIAL MEETING PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PARTICIPANTS. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC'S WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. IN ADDITION, PARAMOUNT AND THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN SUCH PROXY SOLICITATIONS WILL PROVIDE COPIES OF THE APPLICABLE PROXY STATEMENTS WITHOUT CHARGE, WHEN AVAILABLE, UPON REQUEST. REQUESTS FOR SUCH COPIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE APPLICABLE PROXY SOLICITOR.
Participants in the Solicitation
The participants in the Netflix Merger Solicitation are expected to be Paramount, Prince Sub Inc., certain directors and executive officers of Paramount and Prince Sub Inc.,
Media Contacts:
Paramount
[email protected] / [email protected]
Brunswick Group
[email protected]
Gagnier Communications
[email protected]
Investor Contacts:
Paramount
Kevin Creighton /
[email protected] / [email protected]
Okapi Partners
(212) 297-0720
Toll-Free: (844) 343-2621
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paramount-files-proxy-materials-and-extends-tender-offer-302668063.html
SOURCE Paramount Skydance Corporation
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