We’re not yet at the stage of a soap opera like Vivendi, and its twists and turns from 2015 to 2018 made us happy, but apparently the restlessness has started around Ubisoft. In any case, the stock exchange is very concerned about the situation of the French publisher, whose shares rose 8.93% to 46.61 euros on Wednesday. This is a far cry from the value still posted in January 2021 (€85.18), but what matters is the reason for this rally.
It is likely that information from the Dealreporter started the fire. According to this, Ubisoft management wants to protect itself from any possible takeover attempts by a fish bigger than it. But to maintain operational control, and after years of sweating it out against Vincent Poirot’s offensive, the Guillemot family didn’t have 36 solutions. That’s why it would consider partnering with a private equity firm to acquire Ubisoft and exit the stock market. Remember, the founding family currently holds 15.9% of the company and 22.3% of the voting rights.
Just a few days ago, Bloomberg reported that investment firms Blackstone and KKR were interested in an overview of the French group. According to the latest news, the two funds have studied the document, but Ubisoft has not yet started serious negotiations with potential buyers. Kotaku calls out audit firm by affirming Ubisoft’sOrganize your accounts” and present a great image to potential buyers. Anyone who wants to take action is interested in having space in their pavilion: Ubisoft employs over 20,000 people worldwide.
The likelihood of being acquired by a manufacturer seems low
In its latest financial report on February 22, Ubisoft management acknowledged that it would review a possible takeover offer, but did not make it a perfectly stated target. “Ubisoft can remain independent. We have talent, industrial and financial scale, and a large number of strong licenses. Having said that, if there is an offer to acquire us, the board will of course consider it for the benefit of all stakeholders.“, commented Yves Guillemot.