Tech

AT&T sells Hulu stake, valuing the video streaming company at $15 billion

Key Points
  • Hulu bought back AT&T's 9.5 percent stake in the entity for $1.43 billion, valuing the streaming company at $15 billion.
  • That's a big jump up from November, when Disney valued Huly at $9.3 billion.
AT&T sells stake in Hulu, valuing the streaming service at $15 billion
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AT&T sells stake in Hulu, valuing the streaming service at $15 billion

Hulu has repurchased AT&T's 9.5 percent stake in the business for $1.43 billion, giving the streaming company a valuation of $15 billion.

The transaction, announced on Monday, indicates that Hulu continues to gain popularity, even as the market for over-the-top content becomes increasingly crowded. The valuation is a big step up from November, when Disney said in a regulatory filing that the company was worth $9.26 billion.

Hulu is owned by a group of media companies, including Comcast, which owned 30 percent of the company before today; and Disney, which owned 60 percent, including 30 percent gained in its recent acquisition of Fox.

AT&T said it will use proceeds of the transaction to reduce its debt. AT&T purchased Time Warner last year, giving the company ownership of HBO, which has its own streaming offerings.

Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of CNBC.