Viacom has rejected CBS’ first offer to acquire the Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central parent company, a person close to Viacom told TheWrap.
The rejection comes as no surprise as the initial proposal valued Viacom below its market cap. A counter-offer from Viacom, valuing the smaller of the two publicly traded corporations at a high price tag, is expected to be presented to CBS soon.
A second source tells us that Viacom “expressed displeasure” with the valuation weeks ago during discussions between the two companies.
Tuesday’s all-stock pitch was contingent on CBS’ management team leading the mega-company. CBS wants CEO Les Moonves and president Joe Ianniello to run the combined corporation. It’s unclear where that would leave Viacom boss Bob Bakish.
Since the starting-point offer called for an all-stock deal, the exact dollar value assigned to Viacom has fluctuated since talks began, and could continue to shift.
After a tough day of stock trading yesterday, Viacom’s current market cap was $12.222 billion, based on a VIAB per-share price of $29.42, which is where the U.S. markets closed at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. That was down $1.13 per share from Monday’s close, or minus 3.70 percent.
VIAB shares have recovered a bit thus far today. CBS is also trading up a couple of coins per share.
CBS and Viacom were one company once before, though they spun off from one-another back in 2005. Since then, CBS has been the more successful of the two publicly traded corporations.
Both companies are controlled by the Redstone Family. The ailing Sumner Redstone’s holding company National Amusements Inc. carries about 80 percent of the voting shares for both CBS and Viacom, and his daughter Shari Redstone is a vice chairman for each. She’s been leading the charge for CBS and Viacom to recombine.
Reps for both Viacom and CBS declined comment to TheWrap on this story.
9 Biggest Billion-Dollar Entertainment and Media Deals in 2017 (Photos)
While all eyes were on AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, announced in late 2016 but facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, there were plenty of other megadeals in media, tech and entertainment that kept investment bankers busy in 2017.
Here are some of the biggest deals of the year:
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Disney to acquire most of 21st Century Fox for $52.4 billion
In a massive deal that could change the entertainment industry even more than AT&T-Time Warner, Disney announced plans to acquire Fox's film and TV studios and much of its non-broadcast television business, including regional sports networks and cable networks such as FX, FXX and Nat Geo. Disney would also pick up Fox’s stake in the European pay-TV giant Sky — and be better positioned to win regulatory approval to complete the acquisition of the 61 percent of the company it does not already own.
Discovery Communications agrees to buy Scripps Networks Interactive for $11.9 billion
The merger of two cable powerhouses brings together channels including Discovery, Science, Food Network and HGTV – and could give the combined company a stronger position as pay-TV continues to migrate to the internet.
Discovery/Scripps
Sinclair Broadcast Group agrees to buy Tribune Media for $3.8 billion
This deal, if approved, would give conservative-leaning Sinclair control of 223 stations in 108 markets, including 39 of the top 50, covering 72 percent of households in the country. And it's only possible under rule changes implemented by new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
Sinclair/Tribune
Cineworld offers to buy Regal Cinemas for more than $3 billion
After a string of movie theater mergers last year, the sector has quieted down -- along with the box office. And while this isn’t yet a done deal -- or even an accepted offer -- British chain Cineworld made a late November bid of $23 a share for the U.S.’s No. 2 cinema chain.
Cineworld/Regal
Meredith Corp. acquires Time Inc. for $2.8 billion
The magazine megadeal is a sign of changing times in the publishing industry, with the owner of esteemed brands like Time, Fortune and Sports Illustrated selling to the parent of Better Homes and Gardens and Country Life – backed by $650 million from big-time conservative donors the Koch brothers.
Meredith/Time
Verizon acquires Straight Path Communications for $2.3 billion
Straight Path may not be a household name, but it was the subject of a bidding war between AT&T and Verizon. The company is one of the largest owners of millimeter wave spectrum, seen as key to the buildout of 5G networks, which should power much faster mobile internet -- better for video -- in the near future.
Verizon/Straight Path
Disney buys the rest of BAMTech for $1.6 billion
The Mouse House jumped into internet TV in a major way in 2017, announcing upcoming Disney and ESPN-branded streaming services and acquiring the rest of streaming tech company BAMTech to power those products.
Disney/BAMTech
Entercom buys CBS Radio for $1.5 billion
CBS Radio was intended to be spun off from its broadcast parent in an IPO, but instead it was scooped up by a competitor. The combined company, now the second largest radio business in the country, owns and operates 244 stations in 47 markets.
Entercom/CBS Radio
MGM buys the rest of Epix for $1 billion
The independent studio went all in on the pay-TV business, buying the rest of the premium cable network from Viacom and Lionsgate. And that's paid immediate dividends, as MGM's media networks division propelled it to a strong third quarter.
MGM/Epix
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Rewind 2017: Media and content consolidation continued this year
While all eyes were on AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, announced in late 2016 but facing an antitrust lawsuit from the Justice Department, there were plenty of other megadeals in media, tech and entertainment that kept investment bankers busy in 2017.
Getty Images
