AsianFin -- Disney has agreed to pay an additional $438.7 million to Comcast’s NBCUniversal to acquire the remaining stake in streaming platform Hulu, the company announced in a regulatory filing on June 10. The deal is expected to close by July 24, giving Disney full ownership of Hulu.
The move follows Disney’s initial announcement in 2023 to acquire Comcast’s 33% stake in Hulu for $8.6 billion, based on a guaranteed minimum valuation of $27.5 billion—a figure both companies agreed upon in 2019.
After the initial payment, the two sides entered a valuation process to finalize the transaction, originally expected to conclude in 2024. However, differences quickly emerged. Disney’s valuation came in below the guaranteed floor, while NBCUniversal’s assessment reportedly placed Hulu’s value well above it.
According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, a third-party arbitrator was brought in to settle the dispute, ultimately clearing the path for the final agreement.
With this acquisition, Disney secures full control over Hulu, a key asset in its broader streaming strategy alongside Disney+ and ESPN+.
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