BUSINESS
Disney’s 21st-century acquisitions
December 15, 2017 - Disney CEO Bob Iger’s $66.1 billion deal to buy film, TV and other assets of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox will create the world’s biggest entertainment company with a market value of about $166bn.
The Walt Disney Company will acquire most of 21st Century Fox, including movie and television studios, national cable networks like FX and National Geographic, 22 regional cable channels dedicated to sports and a 39 percent stake in Britain’s pay-TV service, Sky.
Since succeeding Michael Eisner as Disney Chairman and CEO in 2005, Iger has made numerous momentous acquisitions -- Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment and Lucas Film -- but the partial takeover of Fox dwarfs all three deals combined.
The $66.1 billion deal includes $52.4 billion in stock and around $13.7 billion of Fox’s net debt.