Warner Bros. Discovery - M&A Summary and Business Overview

MediaCompany

Warner Bros. Discovery M&A Summary

Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired 17 companies, including 1 in the last 5 years. A total of 2 acquisitions came from private equity firms. It has also divested 8 assets.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s largest acquisition to date was in 2017, when it acquired Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6B. It’s largest disclosed sale occurred in 2014, when it sold HowStuffWorks to Avantax for $45M. Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired in 6 different US states, and 5 countries. The Company’s most targeted sectors include media (65%) and internet software and services (24%).

Warner Bros. Discovery Business Overview

Where is Warner Bros. Discovery headquartered?

Warner Bros. Discovery is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland.

What is Warner Bros. Discovery’s revenue?

Warner Bros. Discovery disclosed revenue of 12,191M USD for 2021 and 10,671M USD for 2020.

How many employees does Warner Bros. Discovery have?

Warner Bros. Discovery has 11,000 employees.

What sector is Warner Bros. Discovery in?

Warner Bros. Discovery is a media company.

When was Warner Bros. Discovery founded?

Warner Bros. Discovery was founded in 1985.

M&A Summary

  • M&A Total Activity25
    • M&A Buy Activity17
    • M&A Sell Activity8
  • Total Sectors Invested 4
  • Total Countries Invested 5
  • M&A Buy/Sell Connections 13
  • M&A Advisors 6

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.

8403 Colesville Road,
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
United States,
(240) 662-2000
corporate.discovery.com

Warner Bros. Discovery is a global media company that provides content across multiple distribution platforms, including pay-TV, free-to-air and broadcast television, websites, digital distribution arrangements and content licensing agreements. The Company's portfolio of networks includes television brands such as Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science and Velocity (known as Turbo outside of the U.S.). Discovery also operates a diversified portfolio of production studios, websites and curriculum-based education products and services. Warner Bros. Discovery was formed in 1985 and is based in Silver Spring, Maryland.


M&A Summary

Buy vs Sell

Year ≤ '19 '20 '21 '22 '23 '24 T
Buy (0.2/yr) # 16 - 1 - - - 17
vol $17.2B $17.2B
Sell (0.2/yr) # 7 - - 1 - - 8
vol $45M $45M
  25

Most Recent M&A

Company Date Value Type
Joyn GmbH 2022-09-13 - Divestiture
Munich, Germany · www.joyn.de
WarnerMedia LLC 2021-12-22 - Divestiture
New York, New York · www.warnermedia.com
Discovery Education, Inc. 2018-02-26 - Divestiture
Charlotte, North Carolina · www.discoveryeducation.com
Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. 2017-07-31 14.6B USD Add-on Acquisition
Knoxville, Tennessee · www.scrippsnetworks.com
Betty TV Ltd. 2017-05-03 - Divestiture
London, United Kingdom · www.betty.co.uk
Raw TV Ltd. 2017-05-03 - Divestiture
London, United Kingdom · www.raw.co.uk
All3Media Ltd. 2014-05-08 847M GBP Add-on Acquisition
London, United Kingdom · www.all3media.com
HowStuffWorks LLC 2014-04-21 45M USD Divestiture
Atlanta, Georgia · www.howstuffworks.com
Eurosport 2014-01-21 - Stake Purchase
,
Raw TV Ltd. 2014-01-01 - Add-on Acquisition
London, United Kingdom · www.raw.co.uk
View All >>

Business Unit M&A

Company Acquired Add-On/Sale Date #
Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. 2017-07-31 Spoon Media, Inc. 2019-11-20 1
Knoxville, Tennessee · www.scrippsnetworks.com New York, New York · www.spoonuniversity.com
All3Media Ltd. 2014-05-08 Betty TV Ltd. 2017-05-03 3
London, United Kingdom · www.all3media.com London, United Kingdom · www.betty.co.uk
All3Media Ltd. 2014-05-08 Raw TV Ltd. 2017-05-03 2
London, United Kingdom · www.all3media.com London, United Kingdom · www.raw.co.uk

M&A by Sector

Sector Buy # Value Sell # Value
Media 11 (65%) 17.0B (98%) 4 (50%) -
Internet Software and Services 4 (24%) 290M (2%) 2 (25%) 45M (100%)
Education 1 (6%) - 1 (13%) -
Information Technology 1 (6%) - 1 (13%) -
Total 17 $17.2B 8 $45M

By Geo

State/Country Buy Value Sell Value
United States 8 14.9B 4 45M
  Georgia 2 250M 1 45M
  California 2 30M 1 -
  Maryland 1 20M 1 -
  Tennessee 1 14.6B - -
  New York 1 - - -
  North Carolina - - 1 -
United Kingdom 5 847M 3 -
  Connecticut 1 - 1 -
2 - - -
Germany - - 1 -
Italy 1 - - -
Norway 1 1.5B - -
Domestic 8 (47%) 14.9B (86%) 4 (50%) 45M (100%)
Cross-border 9 (53%) 2.3B (14%) 4 (50%) -
Total 17 $17.2B 8 $45M

Top M&A Advisors

Financial Deals
Guggenheim Securities
 1
Goldman Sachs
 1
J.P. Morgan Securities
 1
Legal Deals
DLA Piper
 2
Freshfields
 1
Debevoise & Plimpton
 1

Deal Values

buy # Total
> $1B 2 $16.1B
$100M to $1B 2 $1.1B
< $100M 3 $60M
TOTAL $17.2B
Largest Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc.
$14.6B (2017-07-31)
sell # Total
< $100M 1 $45M
TOTAL $45M
Largest HowStuffWorks LLC
$45M (2014-04-21)

M&A Connections

Deals
Acquired from
Investor(s)
12%
2 (12%)
Strategic(s)
35%
6 (35%)
Divested to
Investor(s)
25%
2 (25%)
Strategic(s)
63%
5 (63%)

Company Summary

SECTOR

Media

Revenue

12,191   15% 2021
10,671   5% 2020
11,144   6% 2019
10,553   54% 2018
6,873   6% 2017
6,497   2% 2016
6,394   3% 2015
6,265   14% 2014
5,535   24% 2013
4,487   2012
(millions of USD) Show More Show Less

Employees

11,000

Established

1985

Public

NASDAQ: WBD

Former Name

Discovery, Inc., Discovery Communications, Inc.

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