Activision Buys Vivendi In $8.17 Billion Deal

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) is set to buy back about 429 million shares from Vivendi SA (EPA:VIV) (OTCMKTS:VIVHY) in an $8.17 billion deal, ending months of uncertainty. Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) acquired a controlling stake in Vivendi SA (EPA:VIV) (OTCMKTS:VIVHY) through buying back 429 million shares for $5.83 billion or $13.60 per share, a 10 percent discount to Thursday’s share price. Activision’s chief executive officer Bobby Kotick and his partners, including Chinese video-game publisher Brian Kelly of Tencent Holdings Ltd (HKG:0700) (OTCMKTS:TCTZF) set up an investment vehicle ASAC II LP, to which Kotick and Kelly contributed $100 million of their own money. The…