Germany’s Bertelsmann expects to complete the merger of its music company BMG with Concord by the end of September, the close of the third quarter of 2026.
Chief financial officer Rolf Hellerman said in the company’s latest financial results that the transaction to combine BMG and Concord is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026. The quarter ends on 30 September.
The merger was announced in late April with a target of closing in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approval.
First-half financials#
BMG posted revenue of €444m ($515.2m at current exchange rates) for the first half of 2026, up 5% from the same period a year earlier. It recorded operating EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of €127m.
That result came despite what the company described as the highest first-half investment in music rights in its history.
Rights acquisitions#
BMG acquired rights from several acts and catalogues during the period:
- Jelly Roll
- Jet
- Fuji Music Group
- Snap! co-founder Luca Anzilotti
