New York Post·2025-12-07 03:46Core Insights - David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), successfully sold the company for $72 billion, significantly increasing its value in a short period [1] - The sale involved a competitive bidding process, showcasing Zaslav's strategic maneuvering against major media moguls [2] Group 1: Company Valuation and Sale Process - WBD's stock was trading at approximately $12 per share before the bidding war began, which was just above its one-year low of $7.50 [3] - Paramount Skydance initially offered $23.50 per share, valuing WBD at around $56 billion, which was seen as a potential deal [4] - Zaslav's strategy involved pitching the sale to major companies like Amazon and Apple, ultimately leading to a bidding contest among Comcast, Paramount Skydance, and Netflix [11] Group 2: Strategic Moves and Market Perception - Zaslav, a protégé of notable CEOs, was tasked with improving WBD's operations, which included addressing money-losing assets and significant debt [5][6] - Despite initial skepticism from the market, Zaslav's efforts led to the Warner studio surpassing $4 billion in revenues by 2025 and establishing HBO Max as the third-largest streaming service [7] - The competitive bidding escalated, with Netflix ultimately sealing the deal at $30.75 per share, while the Ellisons aimed to counter with a higher all-cash offer [16]