By Krystal Hu and Greg Roumeliotis
(Reuters) – U.S. regional TV station operator Gray Television Inc has made an offer to acquire larger peer Tegna Inc for approximately $8.5 billion, including debt, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
A successful bid by Gray would significantly expand its footprint in several TV markets. It underscores the pressure Gray and other companies in the TV station industry are under to gain scale and more pricing power with advertisers and the major networks.
While the sector is benefiting from increased political advertising this year ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, TV advertising budgets have been in decline as media consumption shifts to the internet and online streaming.
Gray, which has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion, has offered about $20 per share in cash and stock for Tegna, two of the sources said. The acquisition financing would add to Gray’s $3.8 billion debt pile, but the company has a plan to quickly pay down debt should the deal be completed, one of the sources added.
There is no certainty that Tegna, which has a market capitalization of $2.9 billion and outstanding debt of $4.2 billion, will accept Gray’s offer or successfully negotiate a deal, the sources said.
Tegna has also attracted the interest of private equity firm Apollo Global Management Inc, and will explore all options before agreeing to any deal, the sources added, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential.
Gray, Tegna and Apollo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Only 67% of U.S. households still have traditional pay-TV subscriptions, according to a PwC report published last year. The decline in traditional viewership has led to a wave of consolidation as companies compete for consumer eyeballs.
Last year, Nexstar Media Group Inc acquired Tribune Media Company for $7.2 billion, including debt, while Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc acquired Walt Disney Co’s 21 regional sports networks for $10.6 billion, including debt.
Apollo also made a big bet on the sector last year, acquiring the TV and radio stations of Cox Enterprises Inc for more than $3 billion, including debt.
Tegna, a spinoff of Gannett Co Inc’s broadcasting and digital arm, runs 62 television stations in 51 U.S. markets, and reaches 39 percent of television households in the United States. Atlanta-based Gray Television operates in 93 television markets and covers about 24 percent of U.S. television households.
Gray is generally present in smaller markers and Tegna is present in larger markets, making their combination complimentary and more likely to be approved by regulators, one of the sources said.
Last month, the companies announced a deal for Gray to acquire a minority stake in Premion, Tegna’s over-the-top advertising platform for advertisers. As part of this agreement, Gray will serve as a reseller of Premion’s services across all of its markets. The sources said Gray’s offer for the entirety of Tegna was not affected by the partnership the companies clinched in advertising.
Standard General, a hedge fund that owns roughly 9.7% of Tegna, has been pushing the company to sell itself and is seeking to get directors on its board. Investment firms HG Vora Capital Management and Donerail Group have also been pushing for changes at Tegna.
(Reporting by Krystal Hu and Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
