Warner Bros. Discovery to split
Digest more
The studio and cable conglomerate that David Zaslav created couldn’t overcome outside forces and massive debt.
Monday's news that Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting into two companies has fueled chatter about which execs will end up leading the new entities.
At the end of March, Warner Bros. Discovery had gross debt of $38.0 billion, which is comprised of “total debt” ($37.4 billion) and financial leases ($535 million). The 2022 merger of WarnerMedia (owned by AT&T) and Discovery, Inc. created more than $50 billion of debt.
Credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings on Wednesday downgraded Warner Bros Discovery to junk status following the company's announced split-up earlier this week, as investors weigh the deal's likely impact on holders of its debt.