COS COB, Conn. – Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming services, and Redbox Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: RDBX), a leading entertainment company, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will acquire Redbox.

The combination of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and Redbox will create a leading independent, integrated direct-to-consumer media platform delivering premium entertainment for value conscious consumers. The combined company will have increased scale across content production and distribution, with a massive content library, more than 38,000 kiosks nationwide, extensive digital capabilities in AVOD, TVOD, PVOD, and FAST, and access to millions of targeted customers, including nearly 40 million Redbox Perks members.

Together, the combined companies will have the industry's premier, independent AVOD platforms, one of the fastest growing segments of the overall entertainment industry. According to a recent study by IAB, ad spending on connected TV platforms increased 57% from 2020 to 2021 and is expected to increase another 39% this year.

Financially Compelling

The combination is expected to be accretive to Adjusted EBITDA in 2023, with numerous opportunities to cross-sell each company's customer base across digital properties, distribute Screen Media titles via Redbox kiosks and leverage tech and know-how to fully capitalize on Redbox's AVOD opportunity. The company expects to deliver annual-run rate cost synergies in excess of $40 million in 2023. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment expects that the combined company will exit 2022 with a run-rate exceeding $500 million of revenue and $100 - $150 million of Adjusted EBITDA.

Transaction Details

Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Redbox stockholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.087 of a share of class A common stock of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment per Redbox share. Following the close of the transaction, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment stockholders will own approximately 76.5% of the combined company, and Redbox stockholders will own approximately 23.5% of the combined company, on a fully diluted basis.

Timing and Approvals

Redbox stockholders holding approximately 86% of the Redbox voting power have entered into a voting agreement to approve the transaction. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment stockholders holding approximately 91% of the voting power of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment have delivered a written consent approving the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2022, subject to the receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Upon closing, the combined entity will retain the name Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "CSSE" on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Read the full announcement here.

Redbox
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment