Disney to pay £323.6m to take full control of streaming service Hulu

Hulu began in 2007 and quickly evolved into as a service backed by entertainment conglomerates who hoped to stave off the internet with an online platform for their own TV shows. Disney joined in 2009, planning to offer shows from ABC, ESPN and the Disney Channel. A decade later, Disney gained majority control of the business when it acquired 21st Century Fox. The entertainment giant said on Monday that its appraiser arrived at a valuation below the guaranteed floor value during the initial phase of the appraisal process, while NBCUniversal’s appraiser arrived at a valuation substantially in excess of the guaranteed floor value. A third appraiser was brought in and concluded that The Walt Disney Co will pay 438.7 million dollars (£323.6 million) for the Hulu stake.
“We are pleased this is finally resolved. We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck,” Disney chief executive Bob Iger said in a statement. “Completing the Hulu acquisition paves the way for a deeper and more seamless integration of Hulu’s general entertainment content with Disney+ and, soon, with ESPN’s direct-to-consumer product, providing an unrivalled value proposition for consumers.” The transaction is anticipated to close by July 24. It is not expected to impact Disney’s fiscal 2025 adjusted earnings forecast. Shares in Disney rose slightly in morning trading on Tuesday.
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