Playboy Enterprises Places Itself on Market With $500M Price Tag

Playboy Enterprises Places Itself on Market With $500M Price Tag

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Playboy Enterprises Inc. has begun exploring a sale.

The storied magazine publisher and brand owner has reportedly hired investment bank Moelis & Co. to advise and auction off the company in a sale that may fetch more than $500 million.

Playboy could choose to sell itself as bulk property or in pieces or not sell at all and stay on its current course.

Founder Hugh Hefner, who founded the company in 1953, owns about a one-third stake in the company.

Hefner took the company private in 2011 along with private-equity firm Rizvi Traverse Management in a deal valued at $207 million.

No longer trading as a public company, Playboy doesn’t disclose detailed financials.

However, the company reportedly generated about $38 million from media, including the magazine and digital publishing initiatives, and $55 million from licensing its brand to other companies last year.

Playboy makes most of its money from licensing its brand and logo across the world for fragrances, clothing, night clubs, restaurants and jewelry, among other products and services, including foreign Playboy-branded magazines.

It also operates Playboy magazine in the U.S., which has a circulation of about 800,000, down from its peak number of 5.6 million in 1975. This past month, Playboy magazine removed nudity from the publication.

The company sold off Internet properties and TV broadcast businesses, including Playboy, Playboy TV and the Spice channels, to MindGeek in 2011.

Currently, the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based company is attempting to sell off separate assets, such as the Playboy Mansion, which reportedly attracted bidders for the whole company.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Missouri AG Announces Age Verification Rule to Take Effect Nov. 30

Newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Friday that the state's recently approved age verification regulation for adult websites will go into effect on Nov. 30.

Mag Numb Leads Latest From PlantsVsCunts

Mag Numb stars in the latest scene from Hentaied studio brand Plants Vs. Cunts, titled “The Book of Curses.”

Aylo, Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Host 'Online Censorship' Event

Aylo and Woodhull Freedom Foundation will co-host a virtual panel addressing online censorship on Sept. 30.

Connie Perignon Makes Her Debut for Parasited

Connie Perignon has made her Parasited debut in “A Lesson She Will Payback,” directed by El Pacho.

ProDx Health Launches Affiliate Program

ProDx Health has launched an affiliate program for creators and other members of the adult industry that promote its home-collection testing kits.

Aubrey Kate Featured in Latest From Kink.com

Aubrey Kate stars with Sage Roux in the new scene from Kink.com, titled “A Hole for the Prison Guard.”

Severe Sex Films Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Severe Sex Films has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Lovense 'Ferri' Spotlighted on Wired.com

Lovense’s Ferri has been spotlighted on Wired.com.

Judge Awards Plaintiffs Over $400K in Attorneys Fees in Derek Hay Civil Case

California Superior Court Judge Gail Killefer has awarded former clients of LA Direct Models over $400,000 in attorneys fees and court costs, to be paid by agency founder Derek Hay.

Orion Debuts New Style From Cottelli Lingerie

Orion Wholesale has added a new style from its Cottelli Lingerie line.

Show More