DISNEY TO ACQUIRE MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT

 

Worldwide leader in family entertainment agrees to acquire Marvel and its portfolio of over 5,000 characters

 

Acquisition highlights Disney's strategic focus on quality branded content, technological innovation and international expansion to build long-term shareholder value

 

Burbank, CA and New York, NY, August 31, 2009 -Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:MVL) in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

 

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

"This transaction combines Marvel's strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney's creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories," said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney."

 

"We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation," Iger said.

 

"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel's Chief Executive Officer. "This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney's tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world."

 

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney's global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel's properties.

 

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.

 

Investor Conference Call:

 

An investor conference call will take place at approximately 10:15 a.m. EDT / 7:15 a.m. PDT today, August 31, 2009. To listen to the Webcast, turn your browser to http://corporate.disney.go.com/investors/presentations.html or dial in domestically at 800-260-8140 or internationally at 617-614-3672. For both dial-in numbers, the participant pass code is 51214527.

 

The discussion will be available via replay on the Disney investors website through September 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT.

 

ABC

 

http://i.iimmgg.com/images/gr/0d3848dd46fb9627b1fcf573b7f476b1.jpg

hardly movie related. where is our big corporate love in forum?

 

lets now await the bombardment of spiderman cartoons and even less violent comics.

 

at least maybe The Punisher can kill the Jonas Brothers for crimes against music?

 

 

until a bull$h!t family friendly company ruins the biggest comic book company even more make mine marvel. oh $h!t, sorry marvel.

 

 

 

oh and wtf will happen to Howard The Duck now.

hardly movie related. where is our big corporate love in forum?

Well we dont have a comic forum and i dont think many people watch Disney Channel or Animated shows based on Comics bar a handful of people. So its more relevant in this forum.

Marvel Entertainment's merger with the Walt Disney Company has been finalised, following the approval of the comic book giant's shareholders.

 

Disney's $4.3 billion (£2.6 billion) acquisition of the firm grants the firm the rights to over 5,000 comic properties, including Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men.

 

The investors' decision was expected, given that CEO and majority shareholder Ike Perlmutter had already approved the deal. Perlmutter will oversee the operation of Marvel following the merger.

 

Marvel shareholders will receive $30 (£18) per share in cash, plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own. Both firms' shares rose on the stock market as a result of the partnership.

 

The deal is Disney's most significant purchase since its acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios in 2006.

 

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/comics/news/a1...ney-merger.html

sad day.

One day Disney will acquire USA and all we have to do is to listen to stupid Jonas Brothers songs day in and day out :x