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Three Paramount Directors to Resign as Skydance Merger Looms

Published 2024-04-10, 01:58 p/m
© Reuters.  Three Paramount Directors to Resign as Skydance Merger Looms
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Quiver Quantitative - As Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) (PARA) navigates through a pivotal phase of potential mergers and reshaping, the departure of three significant board directors adds a layer of complexity to its corporate narrative. Dawn Ostroff, Nicole Seligman, and Rob Klieger are set to exit Paramount's board amidst talks of a significant merger with Skydance Media, signaling a notable shift in the company's governance landscape during a crucial negotiation period.

Ostroff, a former Spotify executive, Seligman, an attorney with a background as president of Sony Entertainment, and Klieger, a longstanding attorney for Redstone, are expected to step down in the coming weeks. Their departures coincide with Paramount Global's exclusive discussions about a merger with Skydance Media. Both Seligman and Ostroff serve on a special committee responsible for securing the most advantageous deal for Paramount Global's shareholders, whether that be with Skydance or another party.

Market Overview: -Three Paramount Global directors, including members of the special merger committee, are expected to resign soon. -This news comes as Paramount engages in exclusive talks for a potential merger with Skydance Media.

Key Points: -Dawn Ostroff and Nicole Seligman, key figures on the independent committee tasked with securing the best deal for shareholders, plan to step down. -The planned departures raise questions about the independent committee's ability to evaluate the Skydance merger objectively. -Some investors criticize the proposed deal's structure, fearing it benefits Redstone at the expense of non-voting shareholders.

Looking Ahead: -The resignations could be announced in a Paramount filing this week. -Approval for any merger hinges on the independent committee's evaluation. -Scrutiny remains on the deal's structure and potential dilution of non-voting shareholder value.

The planned board reshuffle comes as Paramount Global, owner of CBS, Nickelodeon, MTV, and the Paramount film studio, explores a complex transaction involving Skydance Media. This deal, if finalized, would see Skydance Media, known for collaborations with Paramount on blockbusters like “Top Gun: Maverick,” acquiring Redstone's National Amusements for approximately $2 billion. The subsequent phase would involve Paramount Global acquiring Skydance in an all-stock transaction estimated at about $5 billion. However, this arrangement has met with skepticism from certain investors, concerned about its potential impact on Paramount’s nonvoting shareholders.

Adding another layer to the corporate chess game, Apollo Global Management (APO) proposed a competing $26 billion offer for Paramount, which the directors did not engage with due to uncertainties regarding financing and the absence of due diligence. Ostroff's and Seligman's departures, after tenures marked by significant content and legal contributions, come at a time when Paramount's independent committee's approval is crucial for any potential deal, underscoring the strategic challenges ahead for Paramount Global.

This article was originally published on Quiver Quantitative

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