SILVER LAKE TAKING ENDEAVOR PRIVATE IN $13B BUYOUT

William Morris Endeavor (WME) parent company Endeavor is going private after a $13b buyout by private equity firm Silver Lake.

Silver Lake first invested in WME in 2012 and remained involved through Endeavor's 2014 acquisition of IMG as well as its 2021 IPO, through which Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and exec chairman Patrick Whitesell pocketed $900m. Silver Lake was also involved in Endeavor's 2016 acquisition of UFC and the more recent merger of the latter company with WWE under the name TKO.

In the newly announced buyout, Silver Lake will purchase outstanding Endeavor shares at $27.50, representing an additional $4.6b in equity value for stockholders. Endeavor stock has already been delisted in advance of completion of the buyout and various regulatory approvals, which is expected in Q1 2025.

“Since 2012, Endeavor’s strategic partnership with Silver Lake and [co-CEO/Managing Partner] Egon Durban has been central to our evolution into the global sports and entertainment leader we are today," said Emanuel. "We believe this transaction will maximize value for all of Endeavor’s public stockholders and are excited to continue to unlock and invest in the growth opportunities ahead as a private company."

“Our unwavering belief in Ari and Patrick, together with [Endeavor President/COO] Mark [Shapiro] and other talented leaders at Endeavor, has never been stronger," added Durban. "This is a very special partnership. Together, we have built and grown Endeavor from $350 million in annual revenue when we first invested in 2012 to nearly $6 billion in consolidated revenue today. Now, Endeavor can take advantage of its unique core platform to meet the dynamic forces driving growth in content, sports and live events with bold vision."