Vivendi Board Approves Strategic Split into Separate Entities

The move aims to unlock value by separating Canal+, Havas, and Louis Hachette Group, pending a shareholder vote.

Vivendi's supervisory board, led by Yannick Bolloré and CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine, has approved a plan to split the company into three distinct businesses.
The split aims to address Vivendi's conglomerate discount and enhance the value of its subsidiaries by listing them separately on various stock exchanges.
Shareholders will vote on the proposed demerger on December 9, with trading of the new entities' shares set to begin on December 16, 2024, if approved.
Bob Bakish, former CEO of Paramount, is named as a board member for Canal+, which will carry €400M in debt upon its listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Each Vivendi shareholder will receive one share in Canal+, Havas, and Louis Hachette Group, while retaining their existing Vivendi shares, allowing each company to pursue independent strategic goals.