Freenet buys out waipu.tv minority holders for €76M
What's the deal? freenet AGDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired the remaining roughly 25% of Exaring AGDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the company behind streaming-TV platform waipu.tv, lifting its stake to 100%. The initial purchase price is about €76 million, with up to €50 million more tied to future performance targets. The deal values Exaring at roughly €300 million.
What's the endgame? German telecoms group freenet runs a core mobile business but treats IPTV as a central pillar of its strategy. Full ownership lets it capture all of waipu.tv's earnings, cash flow, and advertising upside as German viewers shift to streaming.
Why now? freenet says the buyout came at "an unexpectedly favourable price." It also ends an IPO that minority shareholders had previously pushed for, simplifying ownership.
By the numbers: waipu.tv serves around 2 million customers and holds an estimated 20% to 25% share of the German IPTV market.
What else? The acquisition is funded entirely from cash reserves. freenet says its financial flexibility and dividend outlook remain unchanged.
"With this full acquisition, we are simplifying Exaring AG's ownership structure and creating long-term strategic clarity," said chief financial officer Ingo Arnold.
The signal: As German households drop traditional TV for internet-based platforms, freenet is betting that owning one of the market's leaders outright beats a partial stake — and that programmatic advertising will grow alongside the subscriber base.
Read more: webdisclosure.fr
Image credit: freestocks.org
