CEO Bobby Kotick leads an investor buyout from Vivendi which will make Activision Blizzard officially an independant company. Activision is currently known best for its World of Warcraft and Call of Duty franchises, and per a statement by Kotick have “generated over $5.4 billion in operating cash flow and returned more than $4 billion of that to shareholders” since their merger with Blizzard Entertainment 5 years ago.
Activision will buy back 429 million of its shares from Vivendi at $5.83 million. Kotick and co-chairman Brian Kelly also formed an investment group, which includes Chinese operator Tencent, Davis Advisors, and Leonard Green & Partners. They will purchase 172 million shares worth $2.34 billion, and come out with approximately 24.9% of the company. When it’s all said and done Activision will have the majority of shares at 63%; thus making Vivendi no longer a major stakeholder.
“We should emerge even stronger-an independent company with a best-in-class franchise portfolio and the focus and flexibility to drive long-term shareholder value and expand our leadership position as one of the world’s most important entertainment companies…”
Kotick and Kelly will be investing $100 million combined of their own money into the deal. In addition, Q2 FY13 results are next week, where we hopefully might also learn why subscriptions have once again declined for the quarter.
