Bob Iger’s recent “tone-deaf” statements and behavior have left many wondering if the Disney CEO is focused on an Apple merger.
The Walt Disney Company has been navigating choppy waters for a while now. After former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s tenure at the helm, the company was left in an unfavorable state, and the board of directors opted to bring back the controversial former CEO’s predecessor (and now successor) to fix the situation and end the Chapek era. However, while Bob Iger has taken many steps to start mitigating the problems he found (think cutting costs to the tune of $5.5 billion), there has been one rumor in particular that has made fans sit up and take notice.
Related: Per Bob Iger, Apple Buying Disney is More Likely Than You Think
Is Apple Going to Buy Disney?
Analysts from Needham are convinced an Apple merger is on the horizon for the Walt Disney Company. Needham analyst Laura Martin has been saying for months now that various signs are pointing to this eventuality. Disney CEO Bob Iger even hinted that if the co-founder of Apple, the late Steve Jobs, had still been alive, the companies might have considered a merger long before.
Disney’s recent collaboration with Apple on the latest Apple Vision Pro AR headsets also has people talking. Some believe that the only way to make the partnership a true success is for Apple to buy Disney.
Related: EXPERTS: Tech Giant Likely to Buy Disney in Next Three Years
An Apple Merger & Acquisition Might Be Iger’s Focus at the Moment
After hearing Bob Iger’s recent “tone-deaf” comments on the SAG-AFTRA strike, some believe the CEO is more focused on putting in place the pieces for an eventual Disney-Apple merger.
The writer outlined in the article,
It’s no mystery that many pundits (including yours truly) believe Iger is considering a sale of Mouse House assets, and strike-induced uncertainty in underlying business economics — especially if they tilt in favor of talent rather than for his studio — does not help his cause. Big ticket M&A covets business stability uber alles.
Adding credibility to this M&A scenario are Iger’s recent comments that linear television “may not be core” to Disney’s business, comments he later tried to walk back. Even once sacred cow ESPN is sacred no more. Iger also just pronounced that he would welcome strategic partners.
Related: Is a Bob Iger Pay Cut on the Way?
The article argues that Iger’s moves are being watched by everyone on Wall Street right now (including Apple CEO Tim Cook), and his actions are aimed at presenting the right face to them, rather than the public, leading the writer to argue that perhaps he’s in a “selling state of mind.”
Add to this Iger’s contract extension and the fact that an Apple-Disney merger is a deal that would be huge for both companies and would be Disney’s best-case scenario.
Of course, this sort of merger would be kept tightly under wraps until the deal is done, but it appears more and more likely that this might actually come to pass before Iger steps down for the last time as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
