ValueAct Capital reports 5.5% stake in Liberty Media
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 11 2025
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Should l Buy FWONK?
Source: Business Insider
ValueAct's Investment in Liberty Media: ValueAct has acquired securities of Liberty Media, believing they are undervalued and plans to engage in discussions regarding various aspects of the company, including management and corporate governance.
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Analyst Views on FWONK
Wall Street analysts forecast FWONK stock price to rise
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Current: 83.400
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Current: 83.400
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About FWONK
Formula One Group controls the exclusive commercial and promotional rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship series, and the monetization of those rights is the primary business of the group. The firm is responsible for development and promotion of the Formula One race series in concert with its three partners: the FIA (the regulatory body), the teams that participate in the series, and the series' commercial partners, which include the race promoters, broadcasters, sponsors, and advertisers. The F1 schedule in 2023 will encompass 23 races held on five continents. Formula One Group is a subsidiary of Liberty Media, which purchased the firm in January 2017. Formula One stock is a tracking stock for the assets under Formula One Group with Liberty Media.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Cancellation Risk: Heightened security risks in the Middle East are likely to lead to the cancellation of F1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, particularly as the Bahrain International Circuit is just 22 km from a U.S. naval facility recently targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.
- Safety Considerations: Event organizers must assess the untenable safety risks for spectators and racing teams given the ongoing missile and drone attacks from Tehran, which could render the events unsafe under current conditions.
- Insurance Coverage: Should the events be canceled, organizers typically insure these events for up to $100 million, but the tight F1 schedule makes rescheduling unlikely, increasing potential financial losses.
- Audience Impact: Each event typically draws over 100,000 spectators, and the cancellation would not only affect the live audience experience but could also negatively impact F1's brand image and future market appeal.
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- Event Expansion Opportunity: The return of F1 racing in Asia, especially with the Shanghai event, presents BYD with a prime opportunity to increase its influence in the Asian market.
- Investment Challenges: While BYD aims to acquire an existing team or create a new one, the substantial cost of $450 million for a team, along with operational expenses, poses significant challenges that could impact its investment decisions.
- Potential Acquisition Target: BYD may consider acquiring a minority stake in the Alpine team, which is not currently for sale, but opportunities for minority investments could still attract BYD's interest.
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- Audience Growth Potential: F1's US viewership surged from 554,000 in 2018 to 1.3 million in 2025, a 135% increase, although still below NASCAR's 2.7 million, F1's audience is more affluent and diverse, appealing to advertisers.
- Content Collaboration Innovation: Apple's deal with Netflix allows the “Drive to Survive” series to stream on both platforms simultaneously, a first in Netflix's history, which could attract more viewers to F1 and enhance brand visibility.
- Strategic Risks and Opportunities: F1's CEO noted that Apple's multi-platform ecosystem will provide fans with more ways to engage with the sport, although the shift to digital may lose traditional TV viewers, it also offers F1 a more flexible content distribution strategy.
See More
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- Market Value Decline: Since the onset of the Iran war, Formula 1 has seen a $1.9 billion reduction in market value, reflecting concerns over the safety of races in the Middle East, which could impact F1's overall business performance and future investments.
- Season Uncertainty: The 2026 season is set to kick off this weekend in Melbourne with 24 races planned, yet uncertainty looms over the upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to escalating regional conflicts, potentially affecting fan engagement and attendance.
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- New Features Unveiled: The new platform will introduce several innovative streaming features aimed at enhancing user experience, attracting a younger audience, and further expanding F1's viewer base and market share.
- Strategic Market Shift: By collaborating with Apple, F1 can leverage Apple's technological advantages to improve the visual presentation of races while using data analytics to optimize content, thereby increasing viewer engagement.
- Enhanced Industry Impact: This move positions F1 more favorably in the competitive sports streaming market, likely attracting greater attention from advertisers and sponsors, which could drive overall revenue growth.
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- Extensive Experience: Since 2019, Wilm has served as Chief Legal Officer and has provided external legal counsel for over two decades, playing a crucial role in numerous transformational transactions and capital restructurings, highlighting her importance in corporate governance.
- Leadership in F1: As President and CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Wilm has driven the successful integration of the event, which is set to fully merge with the global F1 team by January 2025, further enhancing Liberty Media's influence in the sports sector.
- Ongoing Strategic Support: In her new role, Wilm will continue to provide strategic guidance to the leadership teams of Liberty Media, Liberty Live, and Liberty Broadband, ensuring the companies remain competitive in future key initiatives.
See More
Heightened Middle East Security Risks May Lead to F1 Race Cancellations
- Cancellation Risk: Heightened security risks in the Middle East are likely to lead to the cancellation of F1 races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, particularly as the Bahrain International Circuit is just 22 km from a U.S. naval facility recently targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.
- Safety Considerations: Event organizers must assess the untenable safety risks for spectators and racing teams given the ongoing missile and drone attacks from Tehran, which could render the events unsafe under current conditions.
- Insurance Coverage: Should the events be canceled, organizers typically insure these events for up to $100 million, but the tight F1 schedule makes rescheduling unlikely, increasing potential financial losses.
- Audience Impact: Each event typically draws over 100,000 spectators, and the cancellation would not only affect the live audience experience but could also negatively impact F1's brand image and future market appeal.
See More
BYD Plans to Enter Formula 1 Racing
- Brand Exposure Strategy: BYD's success in the electric vehicle market has allowed it to surpass Tesla, and it now plans to enhance global brand awareness by participating in Formula 1 racing, particularly in the U.S. and other countries.
- Event Expansion Opportunity: The return of F1 racing in Asia, especially with the Shanghai event, presents BYD with a prime opportunity to increase its influence in the Asian market.
- Investment Challenges: While BYD aims to acquire an existing team or create a new one, the substantial cost of $450 million for a team, along with operational expenses, poses significant challenges that could impact its investment decisions.
- Potential Acquisition Target: BYD may consider acquiring a minority stake in the Alpine team, which is not currently for sale, but opportunities for minority investments could still attract BYD's interest.
See More
F1 Partners with Apple for Exclusive Streaming Deal
- Market Transformation: F1's exclusive streaming deal with Apple replaces ESPN, expected to generate around $150 million annually for Apple, while potentially impacting F1's US audience as viewers must pay $12.99 monthly for Apple TV.
- Audience Growth Potential: F1's US viewership surged from 554,000 in 2018 to 1.3 million in 2025, a 135% increase, although still below NASCAR's 2.7 million, F1's audience is more affluent and diverse, appealing to advertisers.
- Content Collaboration Innovation: Apple's deal with Netflix allows the “Drive to Survive” series to stream on both platforms simultaneously, a first in Netflix's history, which could attract more viewers to F1 and enhance brand visibility.
- Strategic Risks and Opportunities: F1's CEO noted that Apple's multi-platform ecosystem will provide fans with more ways to engage with the sport, although the shift to digital may lose traditional TV viewers, it also offers F1 a more flexible content distribution strategy.
See More
F1 Partners with Betway as First Official Betting Operator
- Betting Partnership: Formula 1 has announced a multi-year deal with Super Group's Betway to become the sport's first official betting operator starting in the 2026 season, covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, and Mexico, marking a significant innovation in the F1 betting market.
- Market Value Decline: Since the onset of the Iran war, Formula 1 has seen a $1.9 billion reduction in market value, reflecting concerns over the safety of races in the Middle East, which could impact F1's overall business performance and future investments.
- Season Uncertainty: The 2026 season is set to kick off this weekend in Melbourne with 24 races planned, yet uncertainty looms over the upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to escalating regional conflicts, potentially affecting fan engagement and attendance.
- Stock Price Drop: Formula 1 (FWONA) shares have fallen over 13% year-to-date, indicating market concerns regarding its future performance, particularly in light of the uncertain geopolitical landscape that may undermine investor confidence.
See More
F1 Partners with Apple TV for Exclusive Streaming
- Exclusive Streaming Partnership: F1 has announced a partnership with Apple TV for exclusive streaming, set to launch in March, marking a significant shift in F1's presence in the U.S. market and enhancing its digital influence.
- New Features Unveiled: The new platform will introduce several innovative streaming features aimed at enhancing user experience, attracting a younger audience, and further expanding F1's viewer base and market share.
- Strategic Market Shift: By collaborating with Apple, F1 can leverage Apple's technological advantages to improve the visual presentation of races while using data analytics to optimize content, thereby increasing viewer engagement.
- Enhanced Industry Impact: This move positions F1 more favorably in the competitive sports streaming market, likely attracting greater attention from advertisers and sponsors, which could drive overall revenue growth.
See More
Liberty Media Executive Transitioning to Senior Advisor Role
- Executive Transition: Renee Wilm will transition from her roles as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Liberty Media to become a Senior Advisor, effective later this year, allowing her to continue guiding the company's strategic direction.
- Extensive Experience: Since 2019, Wilm has served as Chief Legal Officer and has provided external legal counsel for over two decades, playing a crucial role in numerous transformational transactions and capital restructurings, highlighting her importance in corporate governance.
- Leadership in F1: As President and CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Wilm has driven the successful integration of the event, which is set to fully merge with the global F1 team by January 2025, further enhancing Liberty Media's influence in the sports sector.
- Ongoing Strategic Support: In her new role, Wilm will continue to provide strategic guidance to the leadership teams of Liberty Media, Liberty Live, and Liberty Broadband, ensuring the companies remain competitive in future key initiatives.
See More
