Koch and the Getty family are investing $533 million in equity to take Getty Images private, while lenders agreed to retire approximately $270 million of outstanding debt. The transaction follows Getty's decision in June to scrap a $3.7 billion agreement to acquire rival Shutterstock after U.K. antitrust regulators required Getty to divest Shutterstock's editorial business. Getty subsequently hired Guggenheim Securities to explore strategic alternatives, and three months later its shares were delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
Koch and Getty Family Invest $533 Million in Equity
Koch and members of the Getty family will invest $533 million in equity as part of the transaction to take Getty Images private. Lenders agreed to retire around $270 million of outstanding debt. The company was founded in 1995 by Mark Getty, an heir to the Getty Oil fortune, and South African businessman Jonathan Klein. Through a series of acquisitions and partnerships, Getty Images came to control some of the most iconic photographic images of all time, according to Bloomberg.
Getty Scrapped $3.7 Billion Shutterstock Deal in June
Getty Images in June scrapped a $3.7 billion agreement to buy rival Shutterstock after U.K. antitrust regulators insisted that Getty divest Shutterstock's editorial business. Following the collapse of that deal, Getty hired Guggenheim Securities to explore strategic alternatives. Three months after initiating the strategic review, Getty's shares were delisted from the NYSE.
FAQ
What is the financial structure of Koch's Getty Images acquisition?
Koch and the Getty family are investing $533 million in equity to take Getty Images private, while lenders agreed to retire approximately $270 million of outstanding debt.
Why did Getty Images scrap its Shutterstock acquisition?
Getty Images scrapped a $3.7 billion agreement to buy Shutterstock in June after U.K. antitrust regulators required Getty to divest Shutterstock's editorial business as a condition of approval.