Apple And Disney Merging Into A Single Company? Bob Iger Says It Was A Real Possibility If Not For Steve Jobs' Demise

Benzinga2021-12-22

he Walt Disney Co and Apple Inc would have ended up discussing a merger between the companies if Steve Jobs would have been alive, Disney Chair Bob Iger said in an interview Tuesday.

What Happened:Iger told CNBC that, while Jobs and him never actually discussed a merger, he said a deal would have “gotten there,”reported Apple Insider.

Jobs was passionate about “everything that Disney did,” said Iger. The Disney Chair said the intersection of liberal arts and technology made Jobs’ “heart sing.”

Disney’s content would be a natural fit for the iPhone maker, said Iger. On the merger between the two companies, he said, “I'm pretty convinced we would have had that discussion.”

Why It Matters:The Disney executive also revealed how he spent months getting to know Jobs, who was an investor and co-founder of Pixar Studios. The bond between the two reportedly grew when Disney acquired the studio.

The acquisition made Jobs Disney’s largest shareholder and a board member of the entertainment behemoth.

Jobs in turn selected Iger to succeed him on the Apple board of directors. Iger exited as a board member in 2019.

Iger stepped down as Disney CEO in 2020. He will officially give up the role of Chair at the end of 2021.

In the interview, Iger said that he began thinking about stepping down after he became too dismissive of other people’s opinions.

Price Action:On Tuesday, Disney shares closed 3.1% higher at $151.05 in the regular session. On the same day, Apple shares ended the regular session 1.9% higher at $172.99 and fell 0.2% in the after-hours session.

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

Comments

  • H_sn
    2021-12-24
    H_sn
    My two favourite companies 
  • Clow
    2021-12-23
    Clow
    😁
  • LB881
    2021-12-23
    LB881
    😎
  • CTSM
    2021-12-23
    CTSM
    If the 2 companies had merged, it would have become the biggest company yet…
  • DavidHTW
    2021-12-23
    DavidHTW
    Interesting concept… An Apple-Disney combo
  • Dcpaddidog
    2021-12-22
    Dcpaddidog
    Like pls
Leave a comment
37