Vice Media, a digital media company, once valued at $5.7 billion, has hired bankers to seek sales, according to people familiar with the matter.
Several buyers have expressed tentative interest in acquiring Vice, insiders said. While finding a buyer would have been a more straightforward solution for Vice, given the company’s potential valuation problems. And outstanding debt, he’s also looking for ways to sell the business, the people said.
On Friday, the information said that Vice was looking into its content studio business. Citing PJT Partners and LionTree as the banks that assisted the company in the transaction.
Vice’s most coveted asset is likely content studio and creative ad agency Virtue. The studio’s businesses include Pulse Films, which Vice announced in March after holding only a majority stake. Pulse has directed several popular music documentaries, including Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Beastie Boys Story. However, one person said that the documentary market is scorching for sale and consolidation.
Vice last year attempted to go public through a particular purpose takeover by striking a deal with 7GC & Co Holdings. But plans to go public were scrapped. After markets cooled and investors failed to sell Vice to prospects as a separate public company, news reported last year.
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An early lover of the digital media industry, Vice peaked in 2017 with a $450 million investment from safe equity firm TPG, which valued the company at nearly $6 billion. Vice targeted around $3 billion, including debt, when it tried to go public last year. However, if Vice agrees to a deal to sell the entire company. It’s likely to get a much lower price, two people said. Last year 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported that Vice expects its revenue to reach $1 billion by the end of 2023.
Vice is considering a sale as it seeks liquidity for investors and helps pay off about $1 billion in debt. Disney has written off its $400 million investment in 2019 and hopes it won’t work.
Discussions with potential buyers are ongoing, he said. However, no deal is guaranteed or forthcoming, they said. TPG is not interested in acquiring all of Vice but is looking to cash in on some of its investment, one person said.
“The studio market is very active today. We have built a large, world-class, global studio business. That generates demand – if there is such interest, we should consider it for our investors,” said a Vice spokesperson. “Besides, there’s nothing to comment on.
A TPG spokesman declined to comment.
Vice also owns news sites and other digital media outlets, including Refinery29, which it acquired for $400 million in 2019. In addition, digital media companies such as BuzzFeed and Vox Media have consolidated assets in recent years and could be potential buyers of the assets, one person said.