Skip to main content

Wall Street rumor: Is Disney interested in bringing Netflix into the fold?

netflix-disney
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Shares in Netflix stock have been climbing of late in response to rumors that Disney may be interested in purchasing the streaming video giant. Netflix and the House of Mouse have had a cozy relationship for some time, largely centering around the streaming company’s use of various Marvel Comics franchises in its hunt for binge-watching domination.

This is not the first rumored acquisition by Disney in recent weeks, with simultaneous Wall Street scuttlebutt that the company may also be interested in a buyout of Twitter.

The Netflix acquisition rumor was recently corroborated by an analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co named William Power, who wrote, “Regarding recent M&A rumors, whether Disney, Apple, or someone else, Netflix could become a target.”

A move to purchase shares in a heavy-hitting streaming video company would not be a first for the Walt Disney Corporation; Disney currently owns 30 percent of Hulu and recently spent $1 billion to buy a third of Major League Baseball’s Advanced Media Tech division.

With such a big stake in the streaming marketplace, whether or not a deal with Netflix would fly through regulatory hurdles remains to be seen. That, and a Disney-owned-Netflix would have even more trouble than the company presently does securing titles from rival movie studios.

Disney executives may also be reticent to purchase the company based on the fact that it trades so far beyond earnings. Netflix’s price-to-earnings ratio hovers around 320, which would mean a major hit to Disney’s balance sheets should a buyout occur.

There are still reasons to believe this deal could happen. With the streaming giant creating more and more original content, its reliance on outside material is steadily declining and the speedy addition of big-money Disney franchises like Star Wars could not possibly hurt the service. Plus, Disney has always been at the forefront of streaming video and a move further into that field would not seem off-base for the company or its investors.

Editors' Recommendations

Parker Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…
Mobile-first: Empower virtual workers with Verizon Mobile for Microsoft Teams
man having work chat from home office with colleagues on screen.

This content was produced in partnership with Verizon.
In today’s fast-paced business environment, being able to communicate quickly and reliably with coworkers, customers, partners and others is essential. But for many organizations, their workforces are increasingly distributed, hybrid and mobile, and their collaboration experience is fragmented with many, disparate solutions, devices and tools that often don’t work well together. That’s why many companies are turning to collaborative apps like Microsoft Teams to help workers more effectively connect and collaborate no matter where they are.

Microsoft Teams is a comprehensive collaboration work experience that includes meetings, internal calling, chat and more. While Teams has become synonymous with modern work, out of the box it doesn’t offer the ability to make and receive calls outside the organization. Since many employees work remotely, in the field or on the go and need to retain access to enterprise-grade functionality, having a fully-featured unified communication solution from a mobile device is vital. That's where Verizon Mobile for Microsoft Teams comes into play.

Read more
How to hire remote workers
ZipRecruiter Job Board Lifestyle Post

This content was produced in partnership with ZupRecruiter.
Many businesses have learned in recent times that being able to hire remotely is a huge benefit. Rather than being limited to a local pool of potential employees or needing to persuade candidates to move for a new job, remote employment means you have the flexibility of the world. By hiring people from any location and allowing them to work from home remotely, you instantly expand your horizons and the quality of the candidate you might find. But, how do you hire such staff? Here's an overview of how to hire remote workers and what's involved.
Ensure your role can be conducted remotely
Many jobs can be performed well remotely, but not all. It's likely you already know if your business can be easily conducted virtually and remotely, but make sure to consider how effective remote working can be for your firm.

Remote jobs can be as varied as writing, editing, coding, design, or even marketing. It's also possible to hire virtual assistants to work remotely, without any need for them to be working in the same location as you.

Read more
Filmora at VidCon 2023: YouTube Creators Embrace AI for Future Video Content

This content was produced in partnership with Wondershare.
Wondershare's Filmora has shown everyone how it's done at VidCon 2023, highlighting its unique AI-powered tools that elevate video content creation for everyone, not just the experts out there. But before we dig ourselves too deep, let's backtrack a little.

I think most of us can agree we are in the age of artificial intelligence. Maybe it's not taking over anytime soon, but there are dozens, if not hundreds of new tools available across a swath of industries. Of course, it shows some real promise in the world of creativity, allowing many of us to be more productive than ever. The world of video creation is no exception to that rule, and AI really stands out as a useful tool. Understandably, Wondershare Filmora have acted quickly to capture practical trends, by adding AI-powered tools to the video content creation suite. Filmora, as you may know, is an excellent video production and editing tool, that truly simplifies the entire process of video creation -- and allows content creators to take their vision to the next level with unique alterations, effects, and toolsets.

Read more