On Wednesday, Guggenheim adjusted its stance on Endeavor Group Holdings Inc (NYSE:EDR)stock , downgrading from Buy to Neutral and revising the price target downward to $27.50 from the previous $36.00.
The modification comes in the wake of Silver Lake, Endeavor's largest shareholder, reaching an agreement to take the company private at a price of $27.50 per share. This offer represents a 55% premium over the unaffected share price.
The agreement for the acquisition was unanimously recommended by a Special Committee of Endeavor's Independent Directors and has already been approved by stockholders holding a majority of the voting interests. The transaction is not contingent on further stockholder approval, but customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals must be met. It is anticipated that the deal will be finalized by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
The analyst noted that the one-year timeline for the deal's closure is likely linked to the gaming licenses held by OpenBet, a subsidiary of Endeavor. It had previously taken Endeavor just over a year to complete the acquisition of OpenBet. It was also mentioned that TKO, which is not involved in this transaction, stands to benefit as it remains a publicly traded company.
The analyst suggested that concerns regarding TKO's balance sheet being utilized for Endeavor's privatization were unfounded and that a capital return program for TKO could now be more probable, especially since strategic review and legal concerns that might have previously hindered such announcements have been resolved.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.