Getty Images terminates $3.7 billion Shutterstock merger

Cris Tolomia

Wed, July 1, 2026 astatine 8:00 AM CDT 1 min read

Getty Images voted to terminate its merger statement with Shutterstock aft the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority conditioned its support of the woody connected a merchantability of Shutterstock's editorial business, the institution said Tuesday.

A merger statement betwixt the 2 companies was struck successful January 2025, with the combined entity carrying a valuation of $3.7 billion. The woody was positioned arsenic a national of 2 of the largest players successful the licensed ocular contented market.

Citing the extended deadline of July 6, the institution said its committee voted unanimously to extremity the merger and diminution to prosecute immoderate merchantability of Shutterstock's editorial unit, provided circumstances bash not materially displacement earlier July 7. Getty besides said it was not required nether the presumption of the merger statement to judge the CMA's condition.

According to Reuters, the CMA's enquiry radical concluded that keeping Shutterstock's editorial limb nether shared ownership would bounds options for U.K. media buyers and enactment upward unit connected prices, fixed that Shutterstock ranks among Getty's lone important rivals successful that market. News agencies specified arsenic Reuters and the Associated Press are among Getty's nonstop competitors successful the editorial photograph and video market.

Shutterstock banal plunged astir 30% successful after-hours trading Tuesday. In extended trading, Getty Images shares edged up astir 1.1% to $0.87. The woody had antecedently received clearance from the U.S. Justice Department successful April, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Should the merger beryllium officially called off, Getty Images noted that a peculiar mandatory redemption would use to its 10.5% elder secured notes owed 2030. Getty's committee indicated it would besides bring connected a fiscal advisor to measure imaginable strategical financing options going forward.