Saudi PIF to Gain 93.4% Control of EA in $55 Billion Buyout

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is poised to acquire nearly complete control of Electronic Arts, the video game publisher behind franchises like FIFA, The Sims and Battlefield, in a $55 billion leveraged buyout announced in September. According to a recent filing with Brazil's antitrust regulator, the fund would own 93.4 percent of the company, with the remaining shares split between private equity firm Silver Lake Partners at 5.5 percent and investment firm Affinity Partners at 1.1 percent. The deal, which would mark the largest leveraged buyout in history, awaits shareholder approval at a meeting scheduled for later this month and is expected to close by mid-2026, pending regulatory reviews.

The consortium's structure places the bulk of the financial burden on the Public Investment Fund, which manages Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth and is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Reports indicate the fund will contribute approximately $29 billion, drawing on its existing $5.2 billion stake in Electronic Arts, additional equity and a $20 billion loan from JPMorgan Chase. This arrangement is unusual for such transactions, where sovereign wealth funds typically hold...