Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. Announces Completion of PSVII Funds and the Distribution of 2.6% of Universal Music Group N.V. (“UMG”) Stock to Limited Partners
January 02 2025 - 2:00AM
Business Wire
Pershing Square Continues to Own 7.6% of
UMG
Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. (“Pershing Square”)
today announced the successful completion of the PSVII funds, which
were created as finite-life co-investment vehicles (with a January
31, 2025 end date) to hold shares of Universal Music Group N.V.
(“UMG”) in connection with Pershing Square’s initial purchase of
shares from Vivendi in September 2021.
The PSVII funds have elected to distribute UMG stock to their
limited partners rather than cash because we believe that UMG stock
is substantially undervalued at its current share price, and the
tax-free stock distribution enables our limited partners to
continue to own UMG shares. In the distribution, approximately 47
million shares representing 2.6% of UMG will be distributed by the
PSVII funds to non-Pershing Square affiliated investors.
Pershing Square’s continuing investment of approximately 140
million UMG shares, representing 7.6% of the company, is owned by
our core funds – Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd., Pershing Square,
L.P. and Pershing Square International, Ltd. – and Bill Ackman, his
affiliates, and other Pershing Square employees.
Pershing Square continues to believe that UMG will remain an
attractive long-term investment. Pershing Square, Bill Ackman, and
their affiliates are not selling any shares in connection with the
distribution. UMG remains the largest holding of the Pershing
Square funds.
The Pershing Square core funds, alongside the PSVII funds,
acquired a 10% stake in UMG directly from Vivendi in a negotiated
transaction in the summer of 2021. Our investment in UMG was
acquired at a price of €18.28 per share including capitalized
costs. The PSVII funds have received dividends of €1.66 per share
since inception. At UMG’s closing price of €24.72 on December 31,
2024, UMG has achieved a total return of 46%1 including dividends,
over the approximately three-and-one-quarter-year life of the
investment. This return compares favorably to the S&P 500’s 37%
return and the Amsterdam Exchange Index’s return of 21% over the
same period.
About Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P.
Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., based in New York
City, is an SEC-registered investment advisor to investment
funds.
1 UMG’s total return is provided for illustrative purposes only
and is not an indication of actual returns of the Pershing Square
funds and is calculated from our average cost at inception. For a
variety of potential reasons, such as timing of purchases and
sales, use of derivative instruments, and others, each Pershing
Square fund’s return on its investment may differ substantially
from UMG’s change in share price. The PSVII funds’ net value
increased by 52% on a Euro basis and 33%, if converted into U.S.
Dollars on December 31, 2024. The net value reflects the deduction
of, among other expenses, management fees, brokerage commissions,
administrative fees, and crystallized performance allocations, if
any. The PSVII funds’ net return includes the reinvestment of
dividends, interest, and capital gains from its UMG holdings.
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Pershing Square Fran McGill +1 (212) 909 2455
McGill@persq.com