Disney Buying SeaWorld Wouldn't Be Crazy

Shares of SeaWorld Entertainment (NYSE: SEAS) are moving higher on Thursday after Bloomberg reported that Merlin Entertainments Plc has approached the theme park operator about acquiring some of its assets. It doesn't take a rocket scientist -- or a marine biologist -- to figure out what Merlin wants. The U.K.-based operator of Legoland, Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, and several other parks and attractions including the Madame Tussauds wax museum franchise is gunning for SeaWorld's Busch Gardens. 

Merlin singled out Busch Gardens Tampa and Busch Gardens Williamsburg in its August earnings call as parks it would like to acquire. SeaWorld would obviously prefer to sell the company outright, and the stock is moving higher on the hope that it goes that route and successfully finds someone willing buy it outright at a premium. Bloomberg is reporting that other potential suitors have stepped up for the out-of-favor leisure company. Disney (NYSE: DIS) likely isn't one of those names, but it's one that starts to make more sense the more one thinks about it. 

Image source: Disney.

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Source: Fool.com