Entertainment company to acquire Starz for $4.4B

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July 1, 2016 8:49 AM

A combination of the two great companies will now encompass a 16,000-title film and television library, becoming the largest independent television business in the world.

Lionsgate to acquire Starz for $4.4B

Lionsgate and Starz on Thursday, June 30, announced that Lionsgate will acquire Starz for a combination of cash and stock of $4.4 billion.

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“The combination of Lionsgate and Starz brings significant scale to our portfolio of content and distribution assets and will enable us to compete successfully in today’s rapidly evolving global entertainment marketplace,” said Dr. Mark H. Rachesky, Lionsgate’s Chairman of the Board.

Greg Maffei, Chairman of Starz, said, “Chris Albrecht and his team have grown Starz into an industry leader that provides highly-rated and diverse content, drawing critical claim and brand recognition for Starz. Together, Lionsgate and Starz form an entertainment powerhouse with a world-renowned studio that produces blockbuster movies and channels with must-have programming that will be able to capitalize on content opportunities across multiple platforms. The combined company will be well-positioned to return more value to our shareholders and effectively compete in the global media marketplace.”

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Expected to close by year-end, the deal has been approved by the boards of directors of Lionsgate and Starz and will be submitted to their respective shareholders for approval.

Some of Starz hit TV series include "Power," "Outlander" among others.

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