Maybe the Muppets were only the first step.
Merrill Lynch: Is another Disney bidder on the horizon?
The siege of the Magic Kingdom may not be over yet.
Merrill Lynch, the New York brokerage house, has issued a research report suggesting multiple scenarios in which the Walt Disney Co.could be acquired by Comcast Corp., or enter a three-way deal involving Liberty Media and Interactive Corp. -- or do some acquiring of its own, in an effort to become less attractive to unwanted suitors.
That's the strategy employed by Disney in 1984, when Saul Steinberg launched a hostile takeover bid for Disney. Disney subsequently acquired Arvida, the sprawling land and development company.
Disney has rejected the Comcast bid. And Comcast has backed away from offering more than the roughly 9 percent premium its own bid would bring Disney shareholders.
Merrill Lynch suggests that if Comcast continues to stand firm on its bid price, another bid for Disney will be forthcoming. Merrill casts doubt that media giants Time Warner or Viacom would be interested, but says one possible deal could involve Liberty Media, John Malone's high-powered cable concern turned holding company, and Interactive Corp., a media firm in which Liberty has an equity interest.
In yet another scenario, Merrill considers the likelihood that Disney will launch a preemptive strike, buying a company of its own. Among those speculated to be viable candidates: Yahoo!, Pixar and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Merrill Lynch: Is another Disney bidder on the horizon?
The siege of the Magic Kingdom may not be over yet.
Merrill Lynch, the New York brokerage house, has issued a research report suggesting multiple scenarios in which the Walt Disney Co.could be acquired by Comcast Corp., or enter a three-way deal involving Liberty Media and Interactive Corp. -- or do some acquiring of its own, in an effort to become less attractive to unwanted suitors.
That's the strategy employed by Disney in 1984, when Saul Steinberg launched a hostile takeover bid for Disney. Disney subsequently acquired Arvida, the sprawling land and development company.
Disney has rejected the Comcast bid. And Comcast has backed away from offering more than the roughly 9 percent premium its own bid would bring Disney shareholders.
Merrill Lynch suggests that if Comcast continues to stand firm on its bid price, another bid for Disney will be forthcoming. Merrill casts doubt that media giants Time Warner or Viacom would be interested, but says one possible deal could involve Liberty Media, John Malone's high-powered cable concern turned holding company, and Interactive Corp., a media firm in which Liberty has an equity interest.
In yet another scenario, Merrill considers the likelihood that Disney will launch a preemptive strike, buying a company of its own. Among those speculated to be viable candidates: Yahoo!, Pixar and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
