Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EDR) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

John Hodulik: Yes. Thanks guys. Just a quick question on the M&A environment, especially now that you guys are down below 4 times? Does it make you guys sort of think more aggressively about potential acquisitions? And then obviously the big one out there seems to be WWE. Just any initial thoughts or how you got — some commentary on how you look at that entity and any comments on — it looks like Vince, it’s worth $9 billion. Just any thoughts or color you can provide there would be great. Thanks.

Ari Emanuel: One is we don’t — unless you want me to go to jason, we don’t comment on our M&A practices, but here’s what I would say to you. We are truly focused as Jason said on delevering. We are not going to do anything that would increase our leverage at this point in time. I would just say as it relates, we constantly are looking at things out there, but we are not going to leverage ourselves up as we have done a good job deleveraging. We are going to continue deleverage. As it relates to the WWE, it’s an unbelievable product Vince is an unbelievable creative great business. We have had a long-standing relationship with them over two decades. We’re doing, as I indicated, on location business with them and data streaming business with them. So, it’s business is really valuable, but we are not going to do anything as it relates to kind of changing our leverage position right now. So, Jason, I don’t know if you have any other comments.

Jason Lublin: Yes. I would just add, given we have over $750 million of cash in the balance sheet and projecting a really good cash flow generation this year that we certainly feel we have the ability to keep executing on M&A. We are a acquisitive company with using our cash and our public equity as deal closing currency in order to execute on our strategies and so remain some 4 times. And as already said and I said we’re committed continuing to deleverage and we will view all this opportunity through capital allocation and the best use of capital for the company to create the most shareholder value.

John Hodulik: Great. Thank you, guys.

Operator: Thank you, Mr. Hodulik. The next question comes from the line of Kutgun Maral with RBC Capital. You may now proceed.

Kutgun Maral: Great. Thanks for taking questions. I want to ask about your views on the Endeavor portfolio and also had a question on Representation. So first, big believers on the Endeavor story. Continue to see a significant gap between the stock price and intrinsic value of the company and each of its businesses. Clearly, it’s a challenge backdrop because of investor concerns over the macro environment, but how would you characterize your patience level in waiting to have the market better appreciate the story and flywheel? And is there any appetite to perhaps consider separating from the businesses to crystallize value quicker like the UFC? And then I had a follow-up question on the Representation?

Ari Emanuel: So, I was on the Board of Live Nation was $200 I’m really patient. And we have now just created a 4th segment. We are breaking out in E&R kind of our 15 big event for the year. I think you guys are just understanding all of our different segments. We are trying to get you more clarity. We are really patient, we’re long-term. I believe that you guys are going to realize the value of each of our segments as time goes on. It’s only been one year. So, we feel good about our businesses. I don’t think you guys realize the value of Endeavor content, and we sold it for a billion dollars. I think you guys want to do some more work, and we help you in that way. You’ll realize the value of all of our different segments, and we’re really patient about it.