Getty Images is weighing a major merger with Shutterstock that could reshape the visual content market

Getty Images Holdings Inc. (NYSE:TIDE) is exploring a possible merger with a rival Shutterstock Inc. (NYSE:SSTK). The deliberations, disclosed by unnamed sources, reveal that Getty is considering how to structure the deal, although no final decision has been made.

According to Bloomberg report on Saturday, the proposed merger could bring together two of the largest providers of licensed visual content in the US, highlighting the growing demand for photos, videos and media in the digital age.

However, Bloomberg notes that such a deal would likely face antitrust scrutiny regardless of the Trump administration’s perceived openness to corporate mergers.

Industry watchers caution that President-elect Donald Trump’s antitrust picks Gail Slater and Andrew Ferguson are not expected to significantly relax enforcement policies.

The visual content industry is undergoing transformative changes, with artificial intelligence reshaping content creation and smartphone cameras reducing the traditional value of stock photography.

Mark Getty, director of Getty Investments, owns about 43% of the company’s outstanding shares. Other major investors include Koch Inc. i Neuberger Berman.

In June 2024, Getty Images faced challenges stemming from a US Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into fraudulent stock manipulation by Robert Scott Murray and his firm, Trillium Capital.

The SEC accused Murray of orchestrating a bomb-and-dump scheme in 2023 by issuing a bogus takeover bid for Getty at $10 a share, double the company’s price. closing price at that time.

The SEC alleged that Murray never intended to acquire Getty and liquidated his holdings immediately after the announcement. Court documents described the scheme as “false and deceptive,” claiming Murray’s actions were a calculated attempt to profit from inflated stock prices.

Price action: At last check on Monday, GETY shares were up 3.77% at $2.48 in the pre-market session.

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Photo via Shutterstock

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