FCC Chief Signals Smoother Approval For Paramount’s $31-Per-Share Pursuit Of Warner Bros. Discovery: Report

Speaking to CNBC, Carr said Paramount’s offer raises fewer competitive red flags than Netflix’s earlier attempt to acquire key WBD assets.

• Carr indicated that the transaction could move through the review process more quickly, describing the Paramount structure as more straightforward.
• He also added that Paramount’s deal could bring in consumer benefits. 
• Paramount’s offer to acquire all of WBD's assets values the latter at an enterprise value of $110 billion.

Paramount Skydance (PARA) appears to have a smoother regulatory road ahead in its pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (WBD), as FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reportedly called the bid ‘cleaner’ compared with a prior proposal from Netflix Inc. (NFLX). 

Speaking to CNBC at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Carr said Paramount’s offer raises fewer competitive red flags than Netflix’s earlier attempt to acquire key WBD assets. 

Easy Regulatory Path 

Carr indicated that the transaction could move through the review process more quickly, and described the Paramount structure as more straightforward from a regulatory standpoint.

He highlighted that Netflix would likely struggle to win approval from regulators and added that Paramount’s proposal is “a lot cleaner, does not raise at all the same types of concerns.”

“I think there’s some real consumer benefits that can emerge from it,” according to CNBC.

Paramount stock traded over 7% lower at noon on Tuesday. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around the stock remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory amid ‘extremely high’ message volume levels. 

The Netflix Deal

Netflix had proposed purchasing WBD’s studio and streaming divisions for $82.7 billion. Paramount responded by launching a hostile bid and raising the offer to $31 per share. Paramount was deemed the winner to take control of the full portfolio of Warner assets after Netflix declined to increase its proposal. 

Regulators and lawmakers had flagged concerns with the Netflix structure, particularly around streaming concentration. Combining Netflix with HBO Max would have united two major platforms.

Paramount’s offer to acquire all of WBD's assets values the latter at an enterprise value of $110 billion. The agreement also includes a huge $45.7 billion investment in shares by the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners.

PSKY stock has gained over 5% in the last 12 months. 

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