Disney Pays $439 Million to Acquire Full Control of Hulu

Disney is waving goodbye to nearly $439 million as they take full control of Hulu, thanks to a deal with Comcast’s NBCUniversal. This move marks the end of a long appraisal process that’s been in the works for several years. Back in November 2023, Disney announced plans to acquire a 33% stake in Hulu from Comcast for at least $8.6 billion. This amount reflected Hulu’s guaranteed floor value of $27.5 billion, according to regulatory filings.

Disney has been at the wheel with Hulu since 2019, after Comcast handed over control to Disney and became a silent partner. Hulu first popped up in 2007, morphing into a service backed by entertainment bigwigs looking to tackle the rise of the internet with an online hub for their TV shows. Disney hopped on board in 2009 with plans to showcase content from ABC, ESPN, and the Disney Channel. Fast forward a decade, and Disney snagged a majority stake in the business when it took over 21st Century Fox.

In a recent regulatory filing, Disney revealed that the appraisal process initially hit a few bumps, with their appraiser valuing the stake below the guaranteed floor value. Meanwhile, NBCUniversal’s appraiser set a valuation way above that level. To help settle things, a third appraiser stepped in and determined that Disney would be shelling out $438.7 million for Comcast’s Hulu stake.

Disney is thrilled to put this chapter behind them, with CEO Bob Iger chiming in to say, “We are pleased this is finally resolved. We have had a productive partnership with NBCUniversal, and we wish them the best of luck.” With this latest move, Disney is paving the way for a new era of streaming dominance.