Tencent Unit Buys New Classics Media for $2.25 Billion

China Literature, the publishing subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant Tencent, has bought control of leading Chinese film and TV producer New Classics Media for up to $2.25 billion ($15.45 billion). The price includes an earnings component, reflecting profits to 2020.


New Classics Media has produced films “Never Say Die,” “Legend of The Demon Cat,” and TV series “The First Half of My Life” and “Tiger Mom.”


The news was announced in a regulatory filing to the Hong Kong stock market, where Tencent Literature is listed.


Tencent says the acquisition of such a major TV production house will help it unlock the potential of its vast literary content library. It notes that a third of the top 50 movies and a quarter of the top TV series in China are literary adaptations. The figure is over 50% for web series.


Earlier this year Tencent bought a 27% stake in New Classics Media from Enlight Media. The new transaction gives Tencent Literature outright control. New Classics had until earlier this year itself considered an IPO and share listing.


The filing shows New Classics Media made net profits of RMB161 million in 2016, and more than doubled that to RMB376, million in 2017.


The company was last week one of nine major TV producers to sign an industry agreement capping the salaries of stars in TV series.