Paramount, Netflix continue verbal and business battle over WBD
Paramount, Netflix continue verbal and business battle over WBD
Paramount has sent a newly sweetened offer, while Netflix is insisting that a purchase by Paramount would lead to $6 billion in job cuts at WBD.
Paramount Skydance seems willing to pull out all the stops in its quest to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery. The company has sent a new revised offer to purchase WBD, but its main competition in the process, Netflix, isn’t backing down. Its executives continue to stand by their accepted bid, deflecting concerns about regulatory reviews and taking a few extra jabs at Paramount’s new offer in the process.
Key Details:
- A little extra: Paramount has added a “ticking fee” to its offer for WBD.
- Same story: Executives at Paramount continue to insist its offer is superior to Netflix’s.
- Breaking the code: Netflix officials say that Paramount is proposing $6 billion in job cuts at Paramount.
On Tuesday, Paramount released details on its new bid to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, which the company confirmed that it had received, but continued to classify it as “unsolicited.” The $30-per-share price Paramount is offering has not changed, but the offer has been enhanced with a $0.25-per-share “ticking fee,” which is payable to WBD shareholders for each quarter beyond Dec. 31, 2026, that its transaction has not closed.
That figures out to around $650 million per quarter in cash value. Essentially, it’s Paramount’s way of expressing confidence to WBD shareholders that it can get a deal past regulators quickly, should they pivot from the Netflix offer and opt for Paramount’s instead.
WBD has already agreed to a deal to sell its TV and movie studios, as well as streaming assets, to Netflix in a proposal that has since been upgraded from stock-and-cash to cash-only. Paramount has continued to insist that it has a better chance of winning regulatory approval in the United States and Europe than Netflix does.
The added pressure of another suitor has made Netflix officials increasingly willing to discuss the transaction process. The company’s chief global affairs officer, Clete Williams, appeared on Fox Business Network this week, attempting to deflect the narrative that the regulatory review process would be an issue for Netflix.
“Of course, the Department of Justice is going to investigate this transaction and make sure that it’s good for our economy and good for our consumers,” Williams said. “And my understanding is that they’ve sent similar inquiries about Paramount as well.”
Williams also took a few jabs at Paramount, saying that purchasing WBD would give them so much duplication that they would have to cut more than $6 billion in jobs if they bought WBD. He acknowledged that Netflix’s purchase would come with $2 to $3 billion in synergies as well, but notes that Netflix’s cuts would mostly come in the form of licensing fees, not jobs.
Paramount has filed proxy materials that allow it to officially encourage WBD shareholders to vote against the Netflix bid, and has extended the deadline for its own offer until Feb. 20. The latest fee addition may or may not sway many WBD shareholders, who have thus far stood by Netflix as it moves through the purchase process.
-
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
-
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
-
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
