Four Princesses, Meet the Fantastic Four: Disney's 2009 Acquisition of Marvel

In August 2009 Marvel Entertainment considers a merger with the Walt Disney Company. If Marvel shareholders approve the deal, each Marvel shareholder will receive $30 in cash and 0.7452 shares of Disney per Marvel share, together worth $50 - or a 29 premium over Marvel's stock price at that point in time. This case puts students in the role of an independent financial advisor who must review company financials and comparables for both Marvel and Disney, data for the youth entertainment industry, Board and shareholder considerations, and key economic indicators in order to evaluate the terms of Disney's offer.