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- National Amusements
National Amusements Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors
National Amusements was acquired by New Pluto Global for $2.4B in July 2024.
National Amusements acquisition price
$2.4B
Acquired by New Pluto Global · Jul 2024
Cumulative funding National Amusements raised
$125M
across 1 funding round
Key investors in National Amusements
BDT & MSD Partners
About National Amusements
National Amusements is a Boston-headquartered theater operator owning Cinema de Lux, Showcase Cinemas, and UCI Cinemas brands. The company manages over 800 screens in the United States, United Kingdom, and Italy, providing premium entertainment experiences with recliner seating and dining options.
Founded
1936
HQ
Website
Status
Acquired
Customer focus
B2C
Revenue model
Product sales
Valuation
$2.4B (acquired Jul 2024)
Sectors
National Amusements Acquisition
National Amusements was acquired by New Pluto Global for $2.4B on 7 July 2024.
Before the acquisition National Amusements had raised $125M across 1 funding round.
National Amusements, Inc. (NAI), the controlling shareholder of Paramount Global and a family-owned entity led by the Redstone family, agreed to sell its equity interests to entities affiliated with the Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners, operating through New Pluto Global, Inc. (later renamed Paramount Skydance Corporation). NAI oversees Paramount Global, a major media conglomerate with iconic assets including Paramount Pictures, CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and BET Networks. The transaction forms part of a two-phase merger involving Skydance Media, aiming to merge Skydance's technology and creative capabilities with Paramount's IP and platforms while preserving its Hollywood legacy and American jobs. The deal structure includes NAI Equity Investors paying $2.4 billion in cash to acquire all outstanding equity of NAI. Simultaneously, investors contribute up to $6.0 billion for 400 million newly issued Class B shares in New Paramount, with $4.5 billion funding a cash-stock election for Paramount's non-NAI Class A and B stockholders and at least $1.5 billion bolstering the balance sheet. Existing Skydance investors receive 317 million Class B shares. Skydance Media CEO David Ellison assumes roles as chairman and CEO of the combined entity, with Jeff Shell as president, amid Paramount's challenges with debt and streaming competition. The merger closed by February 2026, navigating regulatory approvals despite competing bids from Sony Pictures and Apollo. Strategic rationale emphasizes innovation through Skydance's interactive media and new media arms, potential divestitures like BET Networks for $1.6–1.7 billion to streamline non-core assets, and positioning the new company for growth in entertainment, news, sports amid economic and regulatory pressures including tariffs and labor issues.
| Acquirer | Date | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jul 2024 | Strategic M&A | $2.4B |
National Amusements Funding History
National Amusements has raised a total of $125M across 1 funding round.
National Amusements funding rounds
| Date | Stage | Investors | Raised | Deal Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | Undisclosed stage | BDT & MSD Partners (lead) | $125M | National Amusements, Inc. is a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating 837 movie screens in the U.S., U.K., and Latin America under brands including Showcase, Cinema de Lux, Multiplex, SuperLux, and UCI. The company serves as the majority voting shareholder of Paramount Global. On May 25, 2023, National Amusements announced a $125 million preferred equity investment from BDT Capital Partners, an affiliate of BDT & MSD Partners, a merchant bank serving family business owners and founders. The investment was designed to bolster National Amusements' financial position during the post-pandemic recovery period as movie theater attendance increased. BDT & MSD Partners operates as a merged entity combining MSD Partners (the investment arm of Michael Dell and his family) with BDT & Company (led by merchant banker Byron Trott), and reported $50 billion in Assets Under Management as of 2023. The transaction reflected BDT & MSD Partners' commitment to long-term strategic partnerships with founder-led and family-controlled businesses, aligning with the firm's broader investment strategy that also included concurrent stakes in companies such as Under Armour, Qualtrics, and IMA Group. |
Who has invested in National Amusements?
1 investor has backed National Amusements across its funding rounds, including BDT & MSD Partners.
Lead investors include BDT & MSD Partners.
National Amusements Investors
| Investor | HQ | Rounds | Role | First check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Benchmark 350K+ Funding Rounds and Disclosed VC Valuation Multiples
Sign up to see data on 350K+ funding rounds and disclosed revenue and EBITDA valuation multiples, from seed, through growth stage, to pre-IPO.
Start Free TrialNational Amusements Competitors
National Amusements competitors include listed companies like Basic-Fit, AMC Entertainment, Toei Co. and OneSpaWorld, and private ones like Hudle and Aman Resorts.
| Company | HQ | Status | Revenue | EBITDA | Valuation | Revenue Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publicly listed | $1.6B | $737M | $2.4B | 3.1x | ||
| Publicly listed | $4.8B | $216M | $2.4B | 1.8x | ||
| Publicly listed | $1.2B | $352M | $2.5B | 2.0x | ||
| Publicly listed | $961M | $107M | $2.2B | 2.2x | ||
| Private | - | - | $2.8B | - | ||
| Private | $518M | - | $3B | - |
National Amusements Public Comps
National Amusements is no longer listed, but its public comps include Basic-Fit, AMC Entertainment, Toei Co., OneSpaWorld, Smart Fit, Round One, Imax, Melco Resorts and Enter, United Parks & Resorts and EVT.
| Last FY | EV/Revenue | EV/EBITDA | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EBITDA | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | Last FY | LTM | 2027E | |
| $1.6B | $737M | 3.5x | 3.1x | 7.8x | 11.9x | |||
| $4.8B | $216M | 1.9x | 1.8x | 43.4x | 14.8x | |||
| $1.2B | $352M | 2.0x | 2.0x | 6.9x | 9.4x | |||
| $961M | $107M | 2.4x | 2.2x | 21.2x | 17.0x | |||
| $1.4B | $736M | 3.0x | 2.5x | 5.7x | 7.9x | |||
| $72M | - | 40.1x | 2.2x | - | - | |||
| $410M | $130M | 7.5x | 6.8x | 23.5x | 14.9x | |||
| $5.2B | $1.1B | 2.3x | 2.2x | 10.2x | 9.3x | |||
This data is available for Pro users. Sign up to see all National Amusements competitors and their valuation data. Start Free Trial | ||||||||
Common questions about National Amusements
| When was National Amusements founded? | National Amusements was founded in 1936. |
| Where is National Amusements headquartered? | National Amusements is headquartered in Boston, MA, United States. |
| Is National Amusements publicly listed? | No, National Amusements was acquired by New Pluto Global in July 2024. |
| Who acquired National Amusements? | National Amusements was acquired by New Pluto Global in July 2024. |
| How much was National Amusements acquired for? | National Amusements was acquired for $2.4B in July 2024. |
| How much funding has National Amusements raised? | National Amusements has raised $125M across 1 funding round. |
| What was National Amusements' last funding round? | National Amusements' last funding round was a $125M undisclosed-stage round in May 2023, led by BDT & MSD Partners. |
| Who are National Amusements' investors? | National Amusements' investors include BDT & MSD Partners. |
| Which companies are comparable to National Amusements? | Companies comparable to National Amusements include Basic-Fit, AMC Entertainment, Toei Co., OneSpaWorld, Hudle and Aman Resorts. |
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