Dreamworks Animation For Sale?

[ARNie]

Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is in talks to acquire DreamWorks Animation in a deal that would value the company at $3.4 billion, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

DWA founder and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg would sign a five-year contract to remain with the company, according to the source, who says the DWA board held an emergency meeting Thursday to consider the offer. SoftBank is said to have offered $32 a share. DWA stock closed at $22 per share on Friday.

A DWA spokesperson said, "We don't comment on rumors and speculation."...

...Katzenberg has long sought a buyer for his company, which began as the animation division of DreamWorks Studios and was spun off as a public company in 2004. DWA currently releases its movies through 20th Century Fox.

DWA has been on a roller-coaster ride in the stock market as it moves from one release to the next. The issue in a prospective sale has always been valuation. The company's 2014 releases include the underperforming Mr. Peabody & Sherman, which grossed $273 million worldwide, and the more successful How to Train Your Dragon 2, which pulled in $611 million this summer.

The rest of the article at Hollywood Reporter:
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How does this make you feel?

[RySenkari]

It'd be kind of cool to see Disney buy it.

[rider28031]

It'd be kind of cool to see Disney buy it.

Now that'd be ironic.

[Bill K.]

Disney would only buy it to close it. They've already got Pixar. Given the inconsistent competition Dreamworks has provided to Disney, I doubt they'd be interested. And given the acrimonious history between Disney and Jeffrey Katzenberg, I'm not sure he'd sell to them unless they were the only buyer.

[RySenkari]

Might be cool to see what they could do with How To Train Your Dragon or Kung Fu Panda.

[Suicide]

So long as this doesn't interrupt their animation deal with Studio MIR I'm fine with whatever.