In a landmark deal for the streaming industry, Disney has officially closed its acquisition of Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu, securing full ownership of the streaming platform after more than two years of contentious negotiations. The final price tag, confirmed through a contractual appraisal process completed on June 9, 2025, requires Disney to pay an additional $438.7 million to Comcast’s NBCUniversal, bringing the total cost to approximately $9.05 billion. The transaction, detailed in a Disney SEC filing on Monday, is set to close on or before July 24, 2025.
“Hulu was a great start for us in streaming that generated nearly $10 billion in proceeds for Comcast and created an important audience for NBCUniversal’s world-class content. We wish Disney well with Hulu and appreciate the cooperative way our teams managed the partnership.” A Comcast spokes person said in a statement to Cord Cutters News.
The agreement stems from a 2019 pact between Disney and Comcast, which established a guaranteed floor value of $27.5 billion for Hulu, with Comcast’s one-third stake valued at a minimum of $9.167 billion. In December 2023, Disney paid $8.61 billion to Comcast as an initial payment, representing one-third of that floor value. However, the final valuation required arbitration after the two companies’ appraisers reached wildly different estimates. Disney’s appraiser valued Hulu below the $27.5 billion threshold, while Comcast’s appraiser proposed a figure that would have added $5 billion to Disney’s payment.
To resolve the dispute, a third appraiser was brought in, as stipulated by the 2019 agreement. If the third appraisal had aligned with Comcast’s higher valuation, Disney could have faced a total payout of roughly $13.61 billion for NBCUniversal’s stake. Instead, the final equity fair value, averaged from the two closest appraisals, resulted in the modest additional payment of $438.7 million. This outcome represents a significant win for Disney, which avoided a much steeper price tag.
The acquisition marks a pivotal moment for Disney, which now has full control over Hulu’s extensive library of general entertainment content. The company plans to integrate Hulu more closely with Disney+ and its forthcoming ESPN streaming service, aiming to create a comprehensive streaming ecosystem. For Comcast, the nearly $10 billion windfall bolsters its financial position as NBCUniversal continues to focus on its own content and platforms, including Peacock.
The arbitration process, which began in May 2024, was described as “confidential” in Disney’s disclosures, with both parties seeking equitable relief and unspecified damages. The resolution underscores the complexities of valuing major streaming assets in a rapidly evolving market, where subscriber growth, content libraries, and competitive dynamics play critical roles.
As Disney moves forward with its streaming strategy, the Hulu buyout eliminates a key partnership hurdle, allowing for greater flexibility in content bundling and platform innovation. Industry analysts view the deal as a strategic coup for Disney, which secured Hulu at a price well below Comcast’s initial expectations, positioning the company to dominate the streaming landscape.
Please follow us on Facebook and X for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help. You can find Luke on X HERE.