iWorld
Netflix rides Japanese anime wave with original content
MUMBAI: Netflix has found a way to stave off competition from upcoming streaming giants Disney and Apple. The company is betting on Japanese anime such as Ultraman and Eden. According to a report in Mint, Netflix is also eyeing award-winning anime from Studio Ghibli such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. It may even get the entire streaming rights for Studio Ghibli in Japan.
Mint quoted Netflix director Japan and anime John Derderian as stating that Japan is among the “top two creators of stories in the world with Hollywood”. Studio Ghibli has resisted the move to OTT and still prefers to release in theatres and physical format. However, with streaming becoming more popular, Netflix has grabbed a chunk of viewers from the country and hopes to do the same in other parts of Asia.
Netflix has seen increasing popularity for Japanese anime outside its home country and aims to fuel that. Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America are the key markets.
Disney+ is expected to offer more content for a lower price given its huge library. Netflix will have to invest in original anime if it wants to retain and grow its subscribers. It has tied up with five animation studios. OTT also gives the animation industry more control over the content. The idea is to make five or 10-year deals so that studios can invest in content and people.
But it has competition since Amazon also released an anime Blades of the Immortal. Netflix’s Ultraman was an animated reboot of a classic Japanese show. It was developed along with Kenji Kamiyama.
iWorld
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
