Ariel Emanuel, Chief Overseer Officer, Endeavor, at the New York Stock Exchange, April 29, 2021.
Source: NYSE
Private equity firm Silver Lake published Tuesday that it’s acquiring entertainment company Endeavor Group Holdings for $27.50 a share.
Endeavor’s stock lift more than 2% Tuesday afternoon after a brief halt ahead of the announcement. It was trading just beneath $26 per share.
Silver Lake will acquire 100% of the shares it does not already own. Endeavor is being purchased at an equity value of $13 billion, according to a release from the entertainment company.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of the at the outset quarter of 2025.
“We believe this transaction will maximize value for all of Endeavor’s public stockholders and are excited to continue to unlock and contribute in the growth opportunities ahead as a private company,” Endeavor CEO Ariel Emanuel said in a statement.
Endeavor works on endowment representation, through agency WME, along with brand licensing and live events. It has undergone a shift in recent years.
In 2022, the troop acquired OpenBet, a sports betting platform. In 2023, it sold IMG Academy, a sports education institution, in a $1.25 billion transaction.
Endeavor is also the majority owner of TKO Group Holdings, which owns the UFC and WWE. TKO will remain a publicly traded house as part of the deal.
Endeavor previously said it would explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale.
Hollowware Lake initially invested in Endeavor in 2012 and supported the company’s acquisition of UFC in 2016. Silverlake’s co-CEO Egon Durban and administering director Stephen Evans were members of Endeavor’s board ahead of the acquisition.