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Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros., countering Netflix’s $72 billion offer
Paramount has launched a hostile bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, directly challenging Netflix just days after the streaming giant reached a $72 billion agreement to take over the company.
In its announcement Monday, Paramount said it is bypassing Warner Bros. leadership and appealing directly to shareholders with a $30-per-share all-cash offer for the entire company, including the Global Networks division. The company urged investors to reject the Netflix deal, which remains subject to approval.
Paramount argued that the Netflix proposal would drag shareholders into a lengthy and uncertain regulatory process across multiple countries, while also tying their financial future to what it described as a complicated mix of cash and stock. The company said it has spent the past 12 weeks submitting six separate proposals to Warner Bros. Discovery in an attempt to reach an agreement.
Paramount CEO David Ellison said the takeover would strengthen the broader entertainment industry by increasing competition and expanding theatrical output. He said consumers, creators, and movie theaters would all benefit from the combined company’s larger content budget and increased slate of films.
Netflix’s deal to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, maker of the “Harry Potter” franchise and owner of HBO, was announced Friday. The agreement values Warner Bros. Discovery at $27.75 per share — an enterprise value of $82.7 billion including debt — and is expected to close within 12 to 18 months. Cable networks such as CNN and Discovery were previously carved out and are not included in the transaction.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Sunday, suggesting the Netflix-Warner deal “could be a problem” due to the potential size and influence of the combined media powerhouse.
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