Yahoo Finance·2026-01-07 13:16Core Viewpoint - Paramount's attempt to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery faces significant challenges as Warner's board has rejected its revised $108 billion bid, citing concerns over the substantial debt financing required for the acquisition [1][4]. Group 1: Acquisition Attempt - Warner's board unanimously rejected Paramount's latest hostile offer, despite tech billionaire Larry Ellison's personal guarantee of the equity portion of the bid [2]. - This rejection marks the sixth time Warner's board has declined Paramount's offer since interest was first expressed in September [3]. - Warner's board emphasized that the proposed acquisition would require $94.65 billion in debt and equity financing, which is nearly seven times Paramount Skydance's market value of $14 billion [4]. Group 2: Financial Concerns - The structure of Paramount's proposal resembles a leveraged buyout, which, if successful, would become the largest leveraged buyout in U.S. history [4]. - Warner's board highlighted the extraordinary amount of debt financing as a significant risk factor, especially when compared to the certainty of a merger with Netflix [5]. - Paramount is under pressure to either secure better financing or increase its cash offer above $30 per share to make the bid more attractive [5]. Group 3: Future Possibilities - Analysts suggest that there is still a potential path for Paramount to outbid Netflix, but this would necessitate a substantial overhaul of their current bid [7]. - A dramatic increase in cash investment from the Ellison family or their financing partners would be essential for Paramount to enhance its offer [7].