Hogan Lovells Acted in Walmart's Expansion into Entertainment and Media with $2.3 Billion Acquisition of VIZIO
Hogan Lovells Acted in Walmart's Expansion into Entertainment and Media with $2.3 Billion Acquisition of VIZIO
Global law firm Hogan Lovells has successfully advised retail giant Walmart (NYSE: WMT) on its transformative acquisition of VIZIO Holding Corp. for $2.3 billion. The deal, valued at $11.50 per share in cash, signifies a significant move for Walmart, expanding its presence into the entertainment and media space.
By acquiring VIZIO and its SmartCast Operating System (OS), Walmart aims to enhance its customer engagement by offering innovative television and in-home entertainment experiences. This strategic move not only benefits consumers but also creates new opportunities for advertisers. The combined entity will benefit from VIZIO's advertising solutions and Walmart's extensive reach and capabilities, enabling brands to connect with customers at scale and maximize the impact of their advertising spend with Walmart.
Furthermore, the acquisition is expected to significantly strengthen Walmart's US media business, Walmart Connect. By integrating VIZIO's advertising solutions with Walmart's existing strengths in TV sales and connected platforms, the combined entity will be well-positioned to capitalise on the growth of connected TV platforms.
The transaction is currently subject to regulatory approval and fulfilment of specific closing conditions outlined in the merger agreement.
Hogan Lovells played a crucial role throughout the acquisition process, providing expert legal counsel to Walmart. The team is led by partners Rick Climan, Global Head of Tech M&A (Silicon Valley), Jane Ross, Office Managing Partner of the Silicon Valley office, and Katherine Keeley (Washington, D.C.).
Additional deal support is being provided by partners Mike Frank (Silicon Valley), John Brockland (San Francisco), Scott Loughlin, Lee Berner, T. Clark Weymouth, Aleksandar Dukic (all Washington, D.C.), Tao Leung, Vassi Iliadis (Los Angeles), counsel Max Scott (San Francisco), senior associates Maria Benvenuto, Khaled Mowad (both New York), Conner Griffith, Angela He (both San Francisco), Dan Ongaro (Minneapolis), Morgan Perna, Leslie Graham, Patrick de Laperouse (all Washington, D.C.), Niveda Anandan (Silicon Valley), associates Will Christ, Debbie Oh, Ryan Reshke, Isabelle Tatum, Jake Jensen (all Silicon Valley), Jacobo Rueda Fernandez (Los Angeles), Hao-Kai Pai, Nathan Truong (both Washington, D.C.), and Scott Rosenbach (Denver).
