Ubisoft faces new takeover speculation

We are not yet at the stage of a soap opera like that of Vivendi, which had regaled us with its twists between 2015 and 2018, but there is clearly a beginning of agitation around Ubisoft. The Stock Exchange is in any case very attentive to the situation of the French publisher, whose action jumped 8.93% to reach 46.61 euros on Wednesday. This is very far from the value it still posted in January 2021 (85.18 euros) but the important thing is the cause of this rebound.

In all likelihood, it was information from Dealreporter that sparked the fire. According to this, Ubisoft’s management would like to protect itself against any possible takeover attempt by a bigger fish than it. But to keep operational control and after sweating profusely for years in the face of Vincent Bolloré’s offensives, the Guillemot family does not have 36 solutions. This is why it would consider partnering with a private equity firm to acquire Ubisoft and withdraw from the stock market. Remember that the founding family currently holds 15.9% of the company’s shares and 22.3% of the voting rights.

Only a few days ago, Bloomberg reported that the investment companies Blackstone and KKR were interested in the profile of the French group. According to the finance specialist, these two funds have studied the file, but Ubisoft had not yet started serious negotiations with potential buyers, according to the latest news. Kotaku added a layer of it in stride by affirming that Ubisoft called on auditing firms to “to put one’s accounts in order” and present a good profile to potential buyers. Anyone who would like to take action has an interest in having space in their pavilion: Ubisoft employs more than 20,000 people worldwide.

The chances of a takeover by a manufacturer seem low

During its most recent financial presentation, on February 22, Ubisoft’s management acknowledged that it would examine possible acquisition offers, without making it a perfectly stated objective. “Ubisoft can remain independent. We have the talent, the industrial and financial scale, and a large portfolio of powerful licenses. That being said, if there was an offer to buy us, the board would of course consider it for the benefit of all stakeholders.“, commented Yves Guillemot.