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Netflix to buy Warner Bros. film and streaming assets in $72 billion deal

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Netflix to buy Warner Bros. film and streaming assets in  billion deal


Netflix announced Friday it’s reached a deal to buy pieces of Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing a swift end to a dramatic bidding process that saw Paramount Skydance and Comcast also vying for the legacy assets.

The transaction is comprised of cash and stock and is valued at $27.75 per WBD share, the companies said. That puts the equity value of the deal at $72 billion, with a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion.

Netflix will acquire Warner Bros.’ film studio and streaming service, HBO Max. Warner Bros. Discovery will move forward with its previously planned spinout of Discovery Global, which includes its massive portfolio of pay TV networks, such as TNT and CNN.

The blockbuster deal brings together the streaming giant Netflix, which has upended the media industry in recent years, and the storied Warner Bros. film studio, known for its library including “The Wizard of Oz,” the Harry Potter franchise and the DC comics universe. It will also include the content of HBO Max, including “The Sopranos” and “Game of Thrones.”

“I know some of you’re surprised that we’re making this acquisition, and I certainly understand why. Over the years, we have been known to be builders, not buyers,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said on an investor call Friday morning.

“We already have incredible shows and movies and a great business model, and it’s working for talent, it’s working for consumers and it’s working for shareholders. This is a rare opportunity,” he said. “It’s going to help us achieve our mission to entertain the world and to bring people together through great stories.”

Netflix’s initial bid for WBD’s studio and streaming assets was for $27 a share, according to a person familiar with the matter. That trumped Paramount’s offer at the time and turned the trajectory of the sales talks in Netflix’s direction, said the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions were private.

The acquisition is expected to close after the TV networks separation takes place, now expected in the third quarter of 2026. The companies estimated the transaction would close in 12 to 18 months.

CNBC has reached out to Comcast and Paramount for comment.

As part of the deal, every Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock for each share of WBD common stock outstanding following the close of the deal.

Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery said each of their boards of directors unanimously approved the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval as well as approval of WBD shareholders.

Netflix has agreed to pay a $5.8 billion reverse break-up fee if the deal is not approved, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Warner Bros. Discovery would pay a $2.8 billion breakup fee if it decides to call off the deal to pursue a different merger.

Edging out Paramount

The merger could invite regulatory scrutiny given the size of the expansive streaming businesses for each company. Netflix said it surpassed 300 million global streaming subscribers at the end of 2024, the last time it publicly reported its customer count. Warner Bros. Discovery said it had 128 million global subscribers as of Sept. 30.

Paramount raised the potential for antitrust concerns earlier this week in a letter to Warner Bros. Discovery management as second-round bids came in, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The newly merged Paramount Skydance made its initial run at Warner Bros. Discovery in September, submitting three bids before WBD launched a formal sale process. The David Ellison-run company was the only suitor bidding for the entirety of WBD’s portfolio — the film studio, streaming business and TV networks.

Paramount’s final bid, received Thursday evening, was for $30 per share, all cash, people close to the matter told CNBC, speaking on the condition of anonymity about confidential dealings. Paramount’s offer included a $5 billion breakup fee if the transaction didn’t win regulatory approval after roughly 10 months, the people said.

Earlier this week, Paramount raised questions about the “fairness and adequacy” of the sale process, contending Warner Bros. Discovery favored Netflix.

“It has become increasingly clear, through media reporting and otherwise, that WBD appears to have abandoned the semblance and reality of a fair transaction process, thereby abdicating its duties to stockholders, and embarked on a myopic process with a predetermined outcome that favors a single bidder,” Paramount attorneys said in a letter to Warner Bros. Discovery management.

— CNBC’s David Faber, Kasey O’Brien and Laya Neelakandan contributed to this report.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. Versant would become the new parent company of CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant.



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Fare relief move: Air India waives change, cancellation fees on domestic bookings after IndiGo disruption – The Times of India

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Fare relief move: Air India waives change, cancellation fees on domestic bookings after IndiGo disruption – The Times of India


Five days after widespread flight disruptions triggered by IndiGo cancellations, Tata Group-owned Air India on Saturday announced a special waiver on change and cancellation charges for eligible domestic bookings, aiming to offer relief to affected travellers, PTI reported.The airline said customers who booked tickets on Air India or its subsidiary Air India Express on or before December 4 for travel up to December 15 can make a one-time change or cancellation without paying the usual fee, provided the request is made by December 8, 2025. In case of rescheduling, any fare difference will still be applicable.

Aviation Meltdown Forces DGCA To Roll Back Weekly Pilot Rest Norm After IndiGo Cancellations

Under the waiver, passengers can either reschedule their journeys to a later date within the validity of the purchased ticket without paying rescheduling charges or cancel their bookings and receive a full refund, with no cancellation fee applied, the airline said.Air India also said it, along with Air India Express, has “proactively” capped economy-class airfares on non-stop domestic routes from December 4 to prevent price spikes driven by automated demand-supply algorithms. The carriers are also in the process of ensuring compliance with the latest directive issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry on airfare caps.





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IndiGo cancellations: How to track flight & refund status online; step-by-step guide – The Times of India

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IndiGo cancellations: How to track flight & refund status online; step-by-step guide – The Times of India


The airline recorded the largest number of flight cancellations by an Indian carrier in the nation’s aviation history. (ANI photo)

IndiGo flight cancellations latest news: IndiGo has said that it expects to operate more than 1500 flights by day’s end on Saturday, having restored over 95% of network connectivity by serving 135 out of 138 operational destinations. IndiGo typically operates 2300 flights daily. IndiGo has said that its personnel are working to normalise operations, minimise flight delays and assist passengers during this challenging period.IndiGo operated merely 700 flights on Friday, indicating 1,600 flight cancellations. IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged the extensive cancellations, confirming “over 1,000 flights” were cancelled on Friday.

Aviation Meltdown Escalates As IndiGo Cancels 400 Flights And Government Enforces Fare Controls

The airline recorded the largest number of flight cancellations by an Indian carrier in the nation’s aviation history. Additionally, IndiGo’s on-time-performance plummeted to 3.7 per cent on Friday due to operational disruptions caused by the implementation of new pilot duty and rest period regulations, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry website.Starting November 1, the second phase of these regulations redefined night hours from 12am-6am, altered from the previous 12am-5am, and reduced permitted night landings from six to two. These changes affect all domestic airlines in India.The Gurugram-based carrier IndiGo, partly owned by Rahul Bhatia, has obtained temporary relief from DGCA, allowing them to revert to the previous night duty definition of 12am to 5am and permitting pilots to perform six night landings.“Addressing the recent disruptions in our network, we had cancelled a significant number of flights and operated little above 700 flights yesterday connecting 113 destinations. The main objective was to reboot the network, systems, and rosters so that we could start afresh today with a higher number of flights, improved stability, and there are some early signs of improvement. While we understand that we have a long way to go, we are committed to build back the trust of our customers….We apologise once again,” the airline said in a statement today.

How To Track IndiGo Flight Status?

If you are planning to fly on an IndiGo flight over the next few days, it is important to check the flight status before heading to the airport. Here is a step-by-step guide to check IndiGo flight status:1. Go to goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html 2. Enter your PNR details and travel date, click on search flight to get the latest flight status

How To Track IndiGo Refund Status?

The airline issued a statement confirming that it is handling all passenger refund requests with urgency.Here is a step-by-step guide how you can track your refund status on the IndiGo website:1. Go to goindigo.in/refund.html2. Enter PNR details — enter your PNR / booking reference number and your Email ID or last name.3. Click to view the “Refund Summary.” This will show you the current status of your refund — whether it’s still processing, completed, etc.According to the civil aviation ministry’s directive, all refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights must be processed by 8 pm on Sunday. The ministry has said, “Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations.”The ministry has directed IndiGo to establish dedicated units for passenger assistance and refund processing.The statement noted, “These cells have been tasked to proactively contact affected passengers and ensure that refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without the need for multiple follow-ups. The system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise completely.”Additionally, the ministry has mandated that the airline must locate and return any misplaced luggage resulting from flight cancellations or delays to passengers within 48 hours.

Airfares capped

The aviation ministry has issued a two-page directive implementing fare restrictions due to capacity limitations and unjustified price increases across various routes. The civil aviation ministry’s order clarifies that business class and UDAN flights are exempt from these fare restrictions.The directive lacks specificity regarding the application of these limits to economy class tickets exclusively or their extension to premium economy seats as well.The prescribed fare structure sets maximum limits of Rs 7,500 for flights covering distances up to 500 kilometres, Rs 12,000 for 500-1,000 kilometres, Rs 15,000 for 1,000-1,500 kilometres, and Rs 18,000 for flights exceeding 1,500 kilometres.For illustration, on the Delhi-Mumbai route spanning over 1,300 kilometres, economy class fares cannot exceed Rs 18,000.The ministry’s statement indicates these restrictions will remain effective until conditions normalise.These caps exclude additional costs such as User Development Fee (UDF), Passenger Service Fee (PSF), and air ticket taxes.





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Volkswagen capex recalibration: Automaker pares 2030 investment to $186 bn; China, US headwinds grow – The Times of India

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Volkswagen capex recalibration: Automaker pares 2030 investment to 6 bn; China, US headwinds grow – The Times of India


Volkswagen Group plans to invest €160 billion ($186 billion) through 2030, a scaled-down outlay that reflects tightening capital allocation as Europe’s largest automaker grapples with mounting pressure in its two biggest markets — China and the United States, Reuters reported.The investment figure, announced by Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, is part of the company’s rolling five-year capital expenditure plan, which is updated annually. The latest commitment compares with €165 billion earmarked for 2025–2029 and €180 billion for 2024–2028, with 2024 marking the peak year for spending.Since that peak, the group — which houses brands such as Porsche and Audi — has been squeezed by higher costs and weaker margins, hit by US tariffs on imported vehicles and intensifying competition in China. The strain has been felt most acutely at Porsche, which derives nearly half of its sales from the US and China combined.Porsche recently unveiled a significant rollback of its electric vehicle strategy as profits came under pressure. Speaking to Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Blume said the focus of the latest investment plan was firmly “on Germany and Europe,” particularly in products, technology and infrastructure.Blume added that discussions on an extended savings programme at Porsche are expected to continue into 2026. He also said he does not expect Porsche to grow in China, though localising production across the wider Volkswagen group remains an option. A China-specific Porsche model could make sense at some point, he said.On Audi, Blume noted that any decision on building a manufacturing plant in the United States would depend on whether Washington offers substantial financial support.Blume, who will step down as Porsche CEO in January to concentrate fully on running Volkswagen Group, said his recent contract extension as Volkswagen chief executive until 2030 signalled continued backing from the Porsche and Piëch families as well as the German state of Lower Saxony, the company’s largest shareholders.“But it is true, of course, that shareholders have suffered losses since Porsche went public three years ago. I, too, must face up to this criticism,” he said.





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