Silver Lake completes acquisition of Endeavor Group Holdings

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. & MENLO PARK, Calif. - Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc., a global sports and entertainment company, has been acquired by Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing, in partnership with the Endeavor management team and other investors. The transaction, which involved the buyout of 100% of the outstanding shares of Endeavor not already owned by Silver Lake, was finalized at $27.50 per share in cash, a 55% premium over the unaffected share price as of October 25, 2023.

With the acquisition, Endeavor’s Class A common stock will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The deal is noted as the largest private equity take-private in the media and entertainment sector, with a total enterprise value of $25 billion, consolidating the value of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) into Endeavor. InvestingPro’s comprehensive analysis reveals the company generated $522.8 million in EBITDA, though maintaining a relatively tight liquidity position with a current ratio of 0.81.

The portfolio of Endeavor, now operating as WME Group, includes the talent agency WME, marketing agency 160over90, brand licensing agency IMG Licensing, and nonscripted content business Pantheon Media Group. Endeavor retains its controlling ownership in TKO, which encompasses UFC, WWE, and other sports and entertainment properties.

Egon Durban, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake, praised Endeavor’s management for their strategic vision, which has led to a twentyfold revenue increase over their partnership since 2012. Mark Shapiro will serve as President and Managing Partner of WME Group, while Ariel Emanuel steps into the role of Executive Chairman, and Patrick Whitesell launches a new platform with Silver Lake to scale properties and IP across sports, media, and entertainment.

The equity financing for the transaction includes contributions from Mubadala Investment Company, DFO Management, LLC, Lexington Partners, funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, CPP Investments, and equity rolled over by individuals including Emanuel, Whitesell, and Shapiro.

This news is based on a press release statement from Endeavor Group Holdings. For deeper insights into similar corporate transactions and comprehensive financial analysis, InvestingPro subscribers can access detailed Pro Research Reports covering 1,400+ top stocks, transforming complex Wall Street data into actionable intelligence for smarter investing decisions.

In other recent news, Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. has expanded its credit facility to $3 billion through an amendment to its Margin Loan Agreement, allowing its subsidiary, January Capital Holdco, LLC, to access an additional $1.925 billion. This financial adjustment was disclosed in a recent SEC filing, indicating Endeavor’s strategic planning in managing its capital structure. Additionally, Endeavor has finalized the sale of OpenBet to OB Global Holdings LLC in a management buyout, with continued leadership by CEO Jordan Levin. In a related transaction, Endeavor has agreed to sell its sports betting data business, IMG ARENA, to Sportradar, with the deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025. Sportradar’s acquisition of IMG ARENA aims to enhance its product offering and strengthen its position in sports betting, with no financial consideration required from Sportradar. Meanwhile, Silver Lake has confirmed its acquisition of Endeavor at $27.50 per share, a decision that has been met with investor uncertainty due to recent share price movements. Lastly, TKO Group Holdings, in which Endeavor holds a majority stake, announced its first quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per share, reflecting its commitment to shareholder value.

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