News Corp (NWSA) offering: family restructure, $1B LGC Holdco loan, 33.2% stake
News Corporation is registering a secondary offering of 14,071,293 Class B shares being sold by selling stockholders; the Company will not receive proceeds. The prospectus states the underwriter is Morgan Stanley and that the underwriter agreed to purchase the shares from the selling stockholders at $31.98 per share, representing gross proceeds to the selling stockholders of approximately $450 million. The filing discloses a family ownership restructuring: transfers from the Murdoch Family Trust to Departing Member Trusts and to newly formed LGC Holdco, which, after the transactions, will beneficially own approximately 62,584,577 Class B shares (about 33.2% of Class B outstanding). LGC Holdco borrowed $1,000 million under a collateralized loan secured by pledged Class B shares; the lender may foreclose on pledged shares upon customary events. The prospectus highlights lock-up periods, a New Stockholders Agreement limiting combined voting power to 44%, and standard risk-factor disclosures about market volatility and concentration of ownership.
Positive
- Company receives no dilution because News Corp is not selling shares and will not receive proceeds from this offering.
- Liquidity provided to selling stockholders: selling stockholders receive gross proceeds of approximately $450 million from the offering at $31.98 per share.
- New Stockholders Agreement preserves an Ownership Threshold limiting combined voting power to 44%, formalizing ownership limits among Murdoch-related parties.
Negative
- LGC Holdco pledged collateral: LGC Holdco borrowed $1,000 million and pledged shares as collateral; lender may foreclose on pledged Class B shares upon customary events.
- Concentration of voting power: LGC Holdco will beneficially own ~33.2% of Class B shares and Cruden 2 will control voting, potentially reducing influence of other shareholders.
- Potential market pressure: Sale of 14.07 million Class B shares by selling stockholders and the prospect of future sales by LGC Holdco could negatively impact the Class B market price.
Insights
TL;DR: Secondary sale proceeds go to selling stockholders; ownership restructuring and a $1.0B secured loan materially change share pledge and control dynamics.
The offering sells 14.07 million Class B shares with proceeds to the selling stockholders, not the company, reducing potential dilution concerns for corporate cash but adding supply to the market. LGC Holdco will hold ~62.6 million Class B shares (~33.2%) post‑transactions while having borrowed $1.0 billion secured by pledged shares; prospectus states ~48.6% of LGC Holdco's stake will be pledged as collateral. These elements create potential near‑term liquidity for family trusts and alter the distribution of pledged collateral in the market. From a capital markets perspective, issuance by selling stockholders and pledged collateral represent price pressure risks, while the New Stockholders Agreement preserves formal ownership limits (44% voting threshold).
TL;DR: Transactions concentrate voting power and place a significant portion of family-held shares as loan collateral, increasing governance and control risk.
The filing documents a family‑ownership reorganization that results in LGC Holdco controlling ~33.2% of Class B shares and Cruden 2, managed by a director appointed by Lachlan K. Murdoch, holding voting control subject to limited exceptions. The combination of concentrated ownership, the ability to forfeit votes to meet an Ownership Threshold and substantial pledged shares that may be subject to lender foreclosure raises material governance concerns. These facts may reduce other shareholders' influence on corporate decisions and create counterparty risk tied to the LGC Holdco loan agreement.
(To Prospectus dated May 13, 2025)
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Per Share
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Total
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Public offering price
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| | | $ | 32.45 | | | | | $ | 456,613,457.85 | | |
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Underwriting discounts(1)
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| | | $ | 0.47 | | | | | $ | 6,613,507.71 | | |
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Proceeds to the selling stockholders, before expenses
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| | | $ | 31.98 | | | | | $ | 449,999,950.14 | | |
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
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| | | | S-ii | | |
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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| | | | S-iii | | |
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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
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| | | | S-1 | | |
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THE OFFERING
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| | | | S-4 | | |
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RISK FACTORS
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| | | | S-5 | | |
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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| | | | S-9 | | |
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SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
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| | | | S-10 | | |
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME AND ESTATE TAX CONSIDERATIONS TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR CLASS B COMMON STOCK
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| | | | S-12 | | |
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CERTAIN ERISA CONSIDERATIONS
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| | | | S-15 | | |
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UNDERWRITING
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| | | | S-17 | | |
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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| | | | S-26 | | |
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
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| | | | S-27 | | |
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VALIDITY OF CLASS B COMMON STOCK
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| | | | S-27 | | |
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EXPERTS
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| | | | S-28 | | |
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Page
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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| | | | 3 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY
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| | | | 5 | | |
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RISK FACTORS
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| | | | 6 | | |
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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| | | | 7 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
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| | | | 8 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
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| | | | 21 | | |
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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LEGAL MATTERS
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EXPERTS
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| | Issuer | | |
News Corporation
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Class B common stock offered by the selling stockholders in this offering
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14,071,293 shares.
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Class B common stock to be outstanding prior to and immediately after this offering(1)
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188,528,838 shares.
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Use of proceeds
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| | We are not selling any shares in this offering, and we will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares in this offering. All of the shares in this offering are being sold by the selling stockholders. | |
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Voting rights
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| | Each holder of our Class B common stock will be entitled to one vote per share on all matters on which our stockholders generally are entitled to vote. See “Description of Capital Stock” in the accompanying prospectus. | |
| | Listing | | |
Our Class B common stock is listed on the Nasdaq.
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| | Ticker symbol | | |
“NWS”.
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Risk factors
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| | Investing in our Class B common stock involves significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information contained, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus prior to investing in the shares. In particular, we urge you to carefully consider the information contained in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-5 of this prospectus supplement and in our reports filed with the SEC. | |
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Shares Beneficially Owned
Before the Offering and Concurrent Transfers |
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Shares
Offered in the Offering |
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Shares Beneficially Owned
After the Offering and Concurrent Transfers |
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Name of Selling Stockholder:
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Non-Voting
Class A Common Stock |
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Voting
Class B Common Stock |
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Non-Voting
Class A Common Stock |
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Voting
Class B Common Stock |
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Non-Voting
Class A Common Stock |
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Voting
Class B Common Stock |
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Number
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%
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Number
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%
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Number
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Number
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Number
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%
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Number
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%
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MFT SH Family Trust(1)
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| | | | 2,375 | | | | | | NM | | | | | | 12,775,978 | | | | | | 6.8 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 4,690,431 | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
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EM 2025 Family Trust(1)
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| | | | 2,375 | | | | | | NM | | | | | | 12,775,978 | | | | | | 6.8 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 4,690,431 | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
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MacLeod Family Discretionary Trust(1)
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| | | | 2,375 | | | | | | NM | | | | | | 12,775,978 | | | | | | 6.8 | | | | | | — | | | | | | 4,690,431 | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | | | | | — | | |
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Per share
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| | | $ | 0.47 | | |
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Total
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| | | $ | 6,613,507.71 | | |
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Investor Relations
(212) 416-3400
Class A Common Stock
Class B Common Stock
Preferred Stock
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Page
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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
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| | | | 1 | | |
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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
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| | | | 1 | | |
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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
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| | | | 1 | | |
|
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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| | | | 3 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY
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| | | | 5 | | |
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RISK FACTORS
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| | | | 6 | | |
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USE OF PROCEEDS
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| | | | 7 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
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| | | | 8 | | |
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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
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| | | | 21 | | |
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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
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| | | | 26 | | |
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LEGAL MATTERS
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| | | | 27 | | |
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EXPERTS
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| | | | 27 | | |
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
Attention: Investor Relations
(212) 416-3400