MTL - Reborn Capital Empire-v2 Chapter 697 golf course negotiation

Chapter 697 Golf Course Negotiations

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Buddy Morris nodded knowingly, "I'm afraid the management of Conscart may not be able to agree."

"It can be appropriate to raise the offer. But if they still do not agree, abandon the merger."

Although the future of the telecommunications industry is very bright, similar to electricity, transportation, etc., it belongs to the category of lying and making money, but so far he has not had much interest in entering the industry. One is that the matrix company still has huge room for development, and the other is that he thinks that the subprime mortgage crisis is a good opportunity to sweep the goods at a low price.

Of course, if Comscat's board and management really agreed that he would take control of the company, he wouldn't mind moving ahead.

"Understood!"

Guo Shouyun got up and patted him on the shoulder, "If you have time to learn more about telecommunications, even if the merger with Conscat fails this time, we will still enter the telecommunications industry in the future."

"Yes!"

"Also, you are in charge of the preliminary negotiation with Conscart, and I will ask the secretariat to help you. If there is something you can't decide, remember to contact me."

After explaining Buddy Morris, Guo Shouyun left the company.

The next day, Pebble Beach Golf Course.

Guo Shouyun, dressed in white sportswear, received Carl Bass, the chairman of MGM's board of directors, who was over 60 years old.

"Mr. Guo, it is a great honor to receive your invitation."

"Mr. Bass is very kind, please!"

"Please!"

After the two walked to the teeing area in the middle of the field, "I have always heard that Mr. Bass's golf skills are amazing and he has won the California Golf Championship. This time you have to be merciful."

"That's all from when I was young. Now my energy and physical strength are not as good as before. In addition to being busy with work and playing less, my skills have regressed too much. However, Mr. Guo should be more sympathetic to my guest, and don't let me It's too embarrassing for me to lose." Carl Bass smiled after waving his hand.

"You are too modest, please!"

Karl Bass nodded, took a simple aim, twisted his body to the right, twisted his body into a bow shape, and slammed his arms down.

With a 'bang', the white golf ball flew into the sky like a shooting star with the flying grass clippings. In the Mediterranean climate of California, even in a sunny summer morning, it does not appear to be hot. The graceful curve fell less than half a meter away from the entrance of the cave.

"Clap...!"

Guo Shouyun gently applauded.

"Mr. Bass is really skilled, and he hit a beautiful birdie as soon as he got started."

They played the 'par three', the par three from the shot to the hole. But now Carl Bass's first shot is less than one meter away from the hole, and the second shot is 100% able to make the hole. One stroke below par is called a 'birdie' in golf lingo, and two strokes below par is called an 'old win'. One stroke over par is called a 'Bokie'.

Carl Bass also had a little more smile on his face.

"Finally, some standards have been maintained. ... Now it's time for Mr. Guo."

Guo Shouyun nodded, walked to the serve point, took aim briefly, raised his arms for a while, and hit it with a 'bang'.

The white golf ball slid across the sky and landed about ten meters away from the hole.

"Looks like I'm still not as good at the game as Mr Bass."

"The first shot hit the green, the second shot was advanced, and the third shot was a hole! Mr. Guo's shot was more secure than mine."

"Mr. Bass's words make me a little ashamed! Please!"

"Mr. Guo, please!"

The two got into the convertible car next to them and came to the green.

Green is a term in golf, which refers to the lawn where the hole is located. The grass of the green is short and smooth, which is helpful for putting the ball.

Greens do not have a fixed size and shape, and it can be said that there are no two identical greens in the world. The area of ​​each green on a standard course is generally more than 600 square meters. Green lawns are more delicate and slender than grasses in other areas of the golf course, and are more prone to disease, so they require more careful maintenance.

Came to the green, Carl Bass hole-in-two, hit a birdie. Guo Shouyun made a hole-in-three, par.

After the two played five holes, they took a bottle of water and sat down in the rest area next to them.

"Mr. Guo specially invited me to play golf today, I'm afraid there is another reason?" Carl Bass, who had not waited for Guo Shouyun to speak, couldn't help it.

Guo Shouyun's right hand that was drinking water paused for a while, then nodded.

"With the wisdom of Mr. Bass, I want to understand the purpose of my invitation to come here this time."

"MGM M&A?"

"That's right!"

"Mr. Guo, you should talk to the management represented by Gary Barber on this matter. The purpose of the board of directors is only to ensure the interests of shareholders and to supervise the management to make them work for the development of the company."

"Of course I know that. But now MGM management is not thinking about the interests of MGM shareholders, they just want to get a money from the leveraged buyout consortium formed by Sony and Comscart. Huge returns, take the opportunity to leave the sinking ship of MGM." After a pause, Guo Shouyun said calmly and unquestionably, "So, I think Gary Barber can no longer represent the interests of MGM shareholders. He...should abdicate and make way for the virtuous."

Carl Bass' pupils shrank, he didn't expect Guo Shouyun to react so fiercely to Gary Barber. After thinking about it, he said cautiously: "Mr. Guo, changing the CEO of MGM requires the approval of nearly two-thirds of the entire board of directors, so even if I promise you, this matter will hardly succeed."

"I will contact MGM board members one by one. The key is the attitude of Mr. Carl Bass."

Seeing that this incident was inevitable, Carl Bass pondered for a moment, "Can I ask Mr. Guo a question?"

"certainly!"

"After acquiring MGM, what is the Matrix going to do with it?"

"It seems that Mr. Bass still has deep feelings for MGM!" Guo Shouyun said with a smile.

"I have worked in this company for 20 years, and there are not many 20 years in my life. If it were Mr. Guo, I think you would be the same as me!"

Guo Shouyun nodded, "I understand your feelings." After a pause, "After Matrix acquires MGM, it will streamline some of its staff, and then combine its production department with that of Universal Pictures and Matrix Pictures. Integrate into one, and the distribution departments of the three companies will also be integrated. In the future, in addition to Matrix Pictures, Universal and MGM will exist as brands under the distribution department, making full use of their influence among fans, for Matrix Pictures, and Outside studios release more films."

"Can't it exist as an independent film company?"

"No!" Guo Shouyun shook his head with certainty, "After I acquired Universal, the reason why I kept its production department was to avoid internal turmoil caused by the eager integration, which would then affect the company's development. It has been two years now. It’s too much. The various departments of the company are very familiar with each other, and the problems are almost exposed. It’s time to carry out a more thorough integration, streamline personnel and institutions, eliminate the barriers formed after rapid expansion, and truly integrate the matrix into one. ."

Guo Shouyun's firm attitude made Carl Bass face a deep disappointment.

"Mr. Guo, if this is the case, I would be inclined to sell MGM to a consortium led by Sony. At least they can ensure the integrity of MGM and exist as an independent film and television company."

"I'm afraid Mr. Bass will be disappointed!" Guo Shouyun said with a smile.

"What's the meaning?"

"After I announced that Matrix's library supports Sony's DVD standard, they have abandoned the acquisition of MGM. Matrix agreed to launch this leveraged buyout of MGM after they exclusively licensed the cable rights to their new movies and TV series."

"How much of Wall Street's institutional investors such as Providence, Texas Pacific Fund, and Foursquare Group are left may be willing to buy MGM at a premium of 40%? Gary Barber has been more than three years old. The failed operation of the industry has fully demonstrated that they have no talent at all. With the shrewdness of the guys on Wall Street, do you think they will be willing to invest $4.8 billion in MGM's film library?"

Originally, investment institutions such as Providence, Texas Pacific Fund, and Sifang Group were willing to join the acquisition. One is to take a fancy to the entertainment industry that is in full swing in the United States now, and want to take a piece of it. The other is because Howard Stringer has led Sony Columbia to develop well in recent years, so they feel that with the leadership of Howard Stringer, they should be able to pull MGM just like he led Columbia out of the quagmire of losses. ashore.

In addition, Comscat, a giant on the "path" side, can provide a richer market and stronger channel support for MGM's film library.

It is because of these factors that Providence, the Texas Pacific Fund, and the Foursquare Group agreed to take a risk. Now the two most important acquisition props are all gone. The risk suddenly soared to an unbearable level, how could they continue their previous investment.

Carl Bass is not a fool to be the chairman of MGM's board of directors. Thinking about the cause and effect, his face instantly turned gray.

There is no leveraged buyout consortium led by Sony. Then MGM's candidates for acquisitions are only the Matrix, Walt Disney and Time Warner. But Walt Disney is only willing to pay $4 billion, and Time Warner is even lower, giving only $3.5 billion. Only the price given by the matrix company is higher.

In addition, whether it is The Matrix, Disney, or Time Warner, they will no longer let MGM continue to exist as an independent film and television company, but, like The Matrix, let it give full play to the influence it has established in the hearts of movie fans over the past century. force to become an issuer.

"Since Mr. Guo has cleared all the obstacles, why come to me? Wouldn't it be better to go directly to Gary Barber? After all, he has no second choice other than Mr. Guo."

"Of course I'll go look for Gary Barber. But I'm not going to give them the terms that the Sony consortium promised in the LBO! Four people sharing $240 million is outrageous. They are not worth the price at all. So, for the sake of To avoid these guys getting into new trouble on impulse, I need to be prepared."

After a pause, Guo Shouyun turned his head and said, "I am willing to give the nine members of the MGM board of directors, including Mr. Bass, a pension equal to your five-year salary."

Money is the most moving thing at any time.

Carl Bass' eyes also lit up after hearing his words. His current annual salary as chairman of MGM's board of directors is $500,000, and five years' extra salary is $2.5 million, which is a huge amount of money.

"I need to think about it before I can answer you!"

From the movement in Carl Bass' eyes, Guo Shouyun knew that this matter was inseparable, so he simply nodded.

"But I hope Mr Bass can keep this matter a secret and not tell anyone for the time being."

"And the rest of the MGM board of directors...?"

"I will solve this of course!"

Hearing this~www.novelbuddy.com~ Carl Bass nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He could guess that Guo Shouyun's solution was to make money.

But this is really the best way.

Because of the nature of leveraged buyouts, it is always the management of the company who will get the most benefit, and the board of directors is just a "rubber stamp" that they must choose to agree to after they reach an agreement. After all, it is the management who really run the company. The board of directors is only responsible for supervising and ensuring the interests of shareholders, and does not have much connection with the actual management of the company.

So when management puts the LBO 'gun' at their head, no one will refuse, and can't refuse to sign an LBO agreement.

Unless they decide that the acquisition agreement does not reflect the true value of the company, which is rarely the case.

After talking about the substantive content, the two played a few more rounds and then left.

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