Analyst: Ubisoft has become an attractive target for acquisition
Shares of Ubisoft have nearly halved in value since the beginning of the year amidst criticism from both players and investors. Analyst Aldora, Joost van Dreunen, believes that the market would benefit from considering the purchase of the French publisher.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
According to van Dreunen, in 2025 Ubisoft may undertake significant structural changes on its own. For instance, it might go private by delisting from the stock exchange or sell part of its assets in an attempt to improve its financial standing. However, van Dreunen believes these measures may not be sufficient. The analyst is convinced that Ubisoft needs to fundamentally rethink its approach to game development and support by paying more attention to building communities around its projects.
Van Dreunen added that Ubisoft's brands, Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six Siege, "might be worth more separately than together" at present. In the fall, the company reported that over the past ten years, the Assassin’s Creed series has garnered a total of 4 billion euros, while Rainbow Six Siege generated an additional 3.5 billion euros.
It is worth noting that back in September, one of Ubisoft's minority shareholders called for the company to be taken private by delisting it from the stock exchange, followed by a sale, and a change in leadership. The sale of assets was also proposed but not the key ones. It is known that his initiative was supported by at least 10% of Ubisoft's shareholders.
Last week, Reuters sources revealed that Ubisoft management is discussing a buyout with shareholders, aiming to structure it so that control remains with the Guillemot family, which founded Ubisoft.
According to Google Finance, as of the time of writing, Ubisoft’s market capitalization is valued at 1.71 billion euros.