Walt Disney 's plan to buy the remaining stake of Hulu will give it full ownership of the platform, allowing it to merge its streaming operations on one app while generating fresh advertising opportunities. Disney, which already owns 67% of Hulu, announced Wednesday it had agreed to acquire the remaining stake from Comcast in a deal valued at $8.61 billion. The transaction, which reflects the guaranteed minimum value of $27.
Disney's widely expected deal to acquire the remainder of Hulu comes as the company continues to struggle to make its streaming business profitable, even if losses have been narrowing of late. But the development of a one-stop-shop for all Disney's streaming content should at least enhance the customer experience, while also improving engagement. Hulu currently has 48 million subscribers and maintains a library of more than 70,000 TV episodes and movies.