Disney, Comcast need help to value Hulu
October 13, 2023
Disney and Comcast have failed to reach a price that both will be happy with for US streaming service Hulu. In an SEC filing Disney disclosed that the companies will both hire outside investment banking firms to come up with a sale price if the two companies couldn’t agree on a price. Those two firms’ valuation will be used to set the final sale price for Disney to buy Comcast’s share.
In Comcast’s corner is Morgan Stanley and for Disney JPMorgan Chase, according to CNBC. If JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanly values are not within 10 per cent of each other, the two firms will then select a third firm to come up its own figure. The ultimate sale price will come from the average of the two estimates that are closest in value to each other.
This all comes as Disney and Comcast agreed to move up talks to this month to help speed up the process of Hulu’s sale. The companies set a valuation of $27.5 billion (€26.1bn) five years ago. But Comcast CEO Brain Roberts has said Hulu is “way more valuable” now compared to then.