Attention Stockholders

[marksniles]

I found the following article very interesting on MousePlanet.com: Comcast, Disney, and the business of hostile takeovers ( http://www.mouseplanet.com/dan/bm040212as.htm ). If it comes down to Comcast asking us if we want to sell our stocks - we must vote NO!!!!!!!!!


Keep the Magic Alive!
Mark

 

[Tim G]

Originally posted by marksniles
I found the following article very interesting on MousePlanet.com: Comcast, Disney, and the business of hostile takeovers ( http://www.mouseplanet.com/dan/bm040212as.htm ). If it comes down to Comcast asking us if we want to sell our stocks - we must vote NO!!!!!!!!!


Keep the Magic Alive!
Mark

 

[General Grizz]

KEEP DISNEY INDEPENDENT!!

 

[MagicalMonorail]

As a shareholder, I will keep my Disney stock Disney. It's not for sale! I have a question about all this. Is Comcast definently taking over Disney? I thought Eisner said no. I hope they don't sell Disney. If they do, I will be really depressed.

 

[wdwcrazy]

(See avatar)

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by marksniles
I found the following article very interesting on MousePlanet.com: Comcast, Disney, and the business of hostile takeovers ( http://www.mouseplanet.com/dan/bm040212as.htm ). If it comes down to Comcast asking us if we want to sell our stocks - we must vote NO!!!!!!!!!


Keep the Magic Alive!
Mark

Interestingly enough it really doesn't matter how people like you or I were to vote on this issue if it came to that. The reality is Institutional Investors and Mutual Funds hold 66% of all Disney stock. Some of them are:

Barclays Bank Plc
State Street Corporation
FMR Corporation (Fidelity Management & Research Corp) Citigroup Inc.
Southeastern Asset Management, Inc.
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co
Vanguard Group, Inc. (The)
Lord Abbett & Co
Morgan Stanley
Mellon Bank, N.A.

Fidelity Magellan Fund Inc
Longleaf Partners Fund
Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Lord Abbett Affiliated Fund
College Retirement Equities Fund-Stock Account
Putnam Fund For Growth and Income
Fidelity Growth & Income Portfolio
SPDR Trust Series 1
Vanguard Institutional Index Fund-Institutional Index Fd
Van Kampen Comstock Fund

Looking at the names of some of those companies and funds, I would be willing to bet that most of us have at one time or another funded their ability to purchase and in some way control the fate of Disney either through financing our own wants and needs or planning for our retirements.

 

[daksimba]

But of those listed as the 66%, isn't much of that ownership still actually held by public? They are all part of portfolios, 401Ks, and investments. IF that is the case, the person holding those plans gets the rights to vote those stock, and to decide where they go, not the holding company.

 

[Woody13]

Originally posted by daksimba
But of those listed as the 66%, isn't much of that ownership still actually held by public? They are all part of portfolios, 401Ks, and investments. IF that is the case, the person holding those plans gets the rights to vote those stock, and to decide where they go, not the holding company.

In a 401k (403b, etc.) the right to vote is delegated by the stockholder to the fund manager. The average person that has a 401k has no idea of the specific stocks within their portfolio.

 

[lebernadin]

An analyst on MSNBC today valued Disney at $31.21/share. Comcast's bid values Disney at about $23/share, while it closed at $26.92 today.

Comcast would have to make this deal sexy(see cash) to Disney shareholders for this to work out for Comcast.

Meanwhile, DIS is up 16%, while Comcast has lost $9.3 billion in market value all since the announcement Wednesday.

I think the former Disney leadership as well as ESPN have fueled this offer. Disney has consistently raised its rates on ESPN and Comcast, as well as the other carriers, would no doubt love to be able to have this content in house and still raise the rates on everyone else.

 

[lebernadin]

Originally posted by Woody13
In a 401k (403b, etc.) the right to vote is delegated by the stockholder to the fund manager. The average person that has a 401k has no idea of the specific stocks within their portfolio.

Even worse, the average person doesn't know how mutual funds work and that stock shares are even part of the picture. They see their statement and whether or not their choices of terms like "aggressive" or "conservative" made/lost them money in the said period and that's that.

 

[Pat X]

Well, some good news is that even the "institutional investors" aren't so keen on the takeover...see some of the other threads for more info. Even Comcast shareholders are not that thrilled with the idea either!

I've been depressed all week since this was announced! Thanks to you all here, its been a little easier knowing there are others who care as much about this as I do!!! :wave:

 

[darthdarrel]

Personally I don`t think that Comcast could do any worse then Eisner!
Now if there was some kind of guarantee that Eisner would be ousted, I`d say vote no in a heart beat, but if he`s entreched I`d say anything to get him out would be a good thing.

 

[daksimba]

The one thing that keeps repeating in my mind is a statement that a anylyst said.

Comcast has only been in the cable business. Are they really ready to take on a huge multi-media market like Disney? Does Comcast know how to hand theme parks, movie studios, or book companies?

The owner has experience in TV (ABC) but doesn't have the experience I personally feel he would need to have for this undertaking.





But, this goes back to the feeling I have always had. Disney always has been, and always should be a 2 -person company. One for the theme park and merchandise side, and the other for the movie, TV, and other media markets. Of course, we had this with Wells and Eisner

 

[Tinkerbellpride]

At one time Comcast owned the Colorado Avalanche. and when they did they also made the Movie Air Force One.. They have in the past have financed several other movies in the past few years.

 

[lebernadin]

I wouldn't focus so much on what a potential buyer has done up until a takeover in any instance. If competent people are hired and not fired from the existing ranks then that in and of itself isn't an issue. This isn't usually where corporations turn out to be miserable fits after a takeover.

In this exact situation:

Walt Disney never ran a theme park.
Michael Eisner never ran a company this large, only studios.


But as far as this deal, it won't happen unless Comcast injects a ton of money to make investors feel good about their stock changing from DIS to Comcast at the per share numbers they'd be taking over the Comcast shares at.

 

[brisem]

According to CNBC, The Institutional investors are targeting a price of $32.50/share. At the current prices, if Comcast doesn't add cash to the deal, Disney Stockholders would be majority holders in the new company.

 

[daksimba]

Originally posted by lebernadin

Walt Disney never ran a theme park.
Michael Eisner never ran a company this large, only studios.

Walt Disney had animation experience though. And he created a brand new version of theme parks, so nobody had that experience

Eisner actually had an experience. Paramount (where he came from) actually has theme parks.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hi there everyone, I have a few thoughts as well as a few questions.
Thoughts:
1) Michael Eisner was approached privately by Comcast and he rejected the offer that was put to him. Then in an effort to force his hand Comcast went public with the offer in an effort to get the stockholders to vote against Eisner!!
2) This opens up the arena for other offers too, This certainly wont be the last one, nor is it the best one Disney can hope for.
Questions:
1) thanks for the info on the currect stockholder ratio, but is anyone aware of how much stock the Disney family specifically own? I am talking everyone, from Roy to Diane and Sharon ( Walt's daughters) and all of thier children!! Any info would be appreciated. 2) If Disney does go through an aquisition, which company do you think would be able to handle the multifaceted company that Disney is and maybe even regain some of the former glory??
Thanks for the info again! Belle

 

[lebernadin]

Originally posted by daksimba
Walt Disney had animation experience though. And he created a brand new version of theme parks, so nobody had that experience

Eisner actually had an experience. Paramount (where he came from) actually has theme parks.

You missed the point. Walt's experience in animation didn't give him an advantage when it came to entering the theme park business. The only reason that animation and theme parks go hand in hand today is because of Walt Disney.

As far as Eisner and Paramount; he was the President/COO of Paramount Pictures prior to coming over to Disney in 1984. He didn't have anything to do with theme parks, he was a tv(NBC>CBS>ABC) guy first, then became head of Paramount.

Also, Paramount didn't even have anything to do with theme parks until the early 90's when they swallowed Kings Island and Great America.

 

[tazhughes]

Comcast is inolved in other areas. They currently own many professional sports franchises (including Flyers and Sixers) and a few stadiums. Not that this makes them anymore prepared to run Disney, but just to clear up the point about them not doing anything but cable.