David Ellison’s Skydance Media is close to signing of a deal on Sunday to merge with Paramount’s board of directors and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone. It seems Paramount has reportedly signed off on the move. The merger will anoint a new mogul in Hollywood. David Ellison, the tech scion behind Skydance, will become the top power broker at Paramount.
The Skydance deal is a turning point for the Redstone family, whose fortunes have been intertwined with the rise and fall of the traditional entertainment industry during the decades of its tumultuous ownership of Paramount and its predecessors. Ms. Redstone, Paramount’s board chair, is cashing in much of her ownership in the company she fought to preserve and control.
Paramount and Skydance merger
As per report, Paramount Global’s full board and Redstone have approved the complicated three-way merger transaction. The deal will take Paramount, CBS and the former Viacom assets out of the hands of the Redstone family for the first time in decades.
The revised merger terms still faces a complicated process of regulatory approvals in part because the deal involves Paramount Global’s television stations, which trigger the involvement of the FCC.
Paramount Global’s revised merger terms
The special committee of Paramount Global’s board of directors tasked with reviewing M&A options has agreed to revised terms for a merger with Skydance. The pact will now be reviewed by the full board of the parent company of Paramount Pictures, CBS, Nickelodeon, Paramount+, Showtime, MTV and more. Skydance and Paramount are expected to announce the agreement early Monday before the markets open, if not late tonight.
Paramount and Skydance deal
As part of the deal, Paramount Global will have the right to shop around for matching or superior offers for a 45-day period before completing the deal with Skydance. Although Paramount has been seen as on the block for years, that ticking clock is likely to bring out opportunistic contenders. Already, media adjacent-moguls including Barry Diller and Edgar Bronfman Jr. have indicated interest in a deal to buy out National Amusements.
Earlier deal broken by National Amusements
Paramount and Skydance were close to tying the knot this time last month when National Amusements abruptly broke off talks, citing concerns the company would not be able to close the deal. Skydance’s effort is backed by Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital, among other equity players.
Representatives for Paramount Global, the board’s special committee and Redstone’s National Amusements Inc. holding company did not respond to requests for comment Sunday. A representative for Skydance Media declined to comment.
Paramount’s market capitalization
Paramount’s market capitalization that is the value the stock market places on the company is around $8.2 billion. Skydance’s last disclosed its valuation was around $4 billion.
A tender offer from Skydance will allow many holders of Paramount’s nonvoting stock to cash out at roughly $15 per share. Investors who own voting stock will be able to sell at $23 per share. This will allow investors who feel shortchanged by the Skydance deal to get rid of the company’s stock at a premium to its current price of $11.81.
Skydance cost cutting
Another pillar of Skydance’s plans for Paramount is cost cutting. The company plans to consolidate some international operations, boosting profits partly by laying off employees. That won’t earn Mr. Ellison many fans among the company’s rank-and-file, though it could help him please shareholders.
