French media conglomerate Vivendi has revealed more details of its plan to split up its business, which includes listing Canal+ in London and the Havas advertising business on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange.
Vivendi announced it was carrying out a feasibility study into splitting up its business in December 2023, noting that it was suffering a high conglomerate discount which was substantially reducing its valuation.
In an update on the feasibility study published this week, Vivendi said Canal+ would be listed on the London Stock Exchange to reflect the company’s international dimension. Canal+ now has up to two-thirds of its subscribers outside of France as well as a global film and TV series distribution network. It added that Canal+ would remain a company incorporated and taxed in France.
Havas, with the majority of its activities being carried out internationally, would be listed as a Dutch public limited liability company (NV) on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange.
A newly named company, Louis Hachette Group, would bring together the assets owned by Vivendi in publishing and distribution, including the group’s 63.5% shareholding in Lagardère SA and 100% of Prisma Media. This company would be listed on Euronext Growth in Paris.
Paris-listed Vivendi will become a listed investment holding company, managing a 10% stake in Universal Music Group the world’s biggest music label, which it also spun-off three years ago. Vivendi would also continue to develop games company Gameloft.
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
Netflix forecast to reach 400 million subscribers by 2031
Netflix is forecast to reach nearly 400 million subscribers worldwide by the end of 2031, reinforcing its position as the world’s leading subscription streaming platform despite growing consolidation across the industry.
Early Freeview switch-off would be “unprecedented gamble” for UK TV
Switching off Freeview in the 2030s would be far more complex, costly, and risky than the UK’s digital TV switchover, according to a report by Christy Swords, the former Director of Change at ITV Broadcasting, who was involved in the original process.
RTS names Chair of Student Television Awards at annual ceremony
At the annual awards ceremony, the Royal Television Society (RTS) welcomed Rhuanedd Richards as Chair of the Student Television Awards.
.jpg)
Sony invests seven figures in AI copyright protection startup
The Sony Innovation Fund has invested in Midnight Labs to protect IP from mass piracy, deepfakes, and AI-generated infringement in the US and Japanese markets.
CMA formally begins investigating Paramount's $110bn WBD merger
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published the commencement notice for its investigation of Paramount Skydance’s anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), marking the official beginning of the inquiry.
