Today marked the final discussion between Eric and the Stark Group. After careful deliberation, they reached an agreement. Stark Group would purchase Eric's energy-related technology for 2 billion dollars in cash, along with a 20% stake in the company.
Currently, Stark Group's valuation was only around 30 billion dollars, as Tony had yet to officially launch the arc reactor. That meant the value of his technology was set at a modest 8 billion dollars. But he wasn't concerned about the price. After all, the reactor's potential was enormous.
Initially, after his kidnapping, Tony's first impulse was to publicly announce the closure of the weapons division. The guilt of seeing his inventions used to harm innocent people weighed heavily on him. He even considered holding a press conference to make his decision public.
But upon discovering Obadiah's betrayal, Tony reconsidered, If he was in his side, tony might really won't care, but now, The decision to close the weapons department so abruptly seemed reckless. Unlike the original movie timeline, the circumstances were different now.
In the movie, Tony was in a not in a vulnerable position after closing the weapons division. He did hold a dominant share in the company with stan and could not be ousted if the shareholders united against him. But now, he held nearly 30% of Stark Group's shares, making him the largest shareholder but still smaller than everyone included.
While 27% of the shares were publicly traded without voting rights, so Tony still had a controlling stake. However, that wasn't enough to act without consequences. His uncle also held 10% of the shares, and if Obadiah from jail did some thing, he and the other shareholders joined forces, they could potentially overthrow Tony. For now, so he decided to wait.
Tony couldn't stand the idea of his weapons harming innocent lives. He had resolved to shut down the weapons division, but it would have to be done gradually. Closing it too hastily would provoke outrage from shareholders, the military, and other influential figures. There was a high chance of him being removed from his position.
"Once I get Obadiah's shares, I'll have the power to act," Tony thought, his eyes narrowing.
Besides, the arc reactor was his trump card. As the world's first cold fusion energy source, its introduction would skyrocket Stark Group's valuation. From 30 billion, it could easily surpass 500 billion. When that time came, the shareholders would prioritize future profits over the loss of their weapons revenue.
Tony understood how corporate greed worked. While the arc reactor had limitless potential, Stark Group wasn't a startup. Investors in the company weren't betting on uncertain future gains; they wanted guaranteed profits. The weapons industry provided massive profit margins, with most of the research and development being done by Tony himself. For the major shareholders, it was like a cash cow.
Giving that up for a new technology with uncertain returns? Tony knew most of them would never agree.
"They won't obediently give up billions of dollars just because I asked them to," Tony muttered. Until he gained complete control, he'd simply monitor the use of his weapons, ensuring they weren't used against innocent civilians.
With the reactor, Stark Group would quickly dominate the energy sector. Erics technology was leagues ahead of anything else on the market. Selling it for 8 billion dollars and 20% equity was a bargain for Stark Group.
Eric, didn't mind either. Without Tony, Erie would have had to invest years and unimaginable amounts of money to recreate the technology. Selling it to Stark Group with Tony's expertise intact was the most efficient option.
That 20% stake? It would soon be worth over 200 billion dollars once Stark Group's dominance was established. With its expansion into energy, it also expanded to insurance, construction, and daily necessities, the company was on its way to becoming the most valuable corporation in the world in no time.
When the topic of Obadiah came up, Tony's expression darkened. The betrayal still stung, but after four months, the raw anger had simmered into cold resolve.
Obadiah had ultimately agreed to hand over his 10% stake in exchange for avoiding a life sentence. It wasn't just about kidnapping Tony. During the attack, several U.S. soldiers had died. Selling weapons to terrorists, committing treason, attempted murder—the list of Obadiah's crimes went on and on. Even with all his wealth and connections, there was no escaping justice.
"Life sentence was inevitable," Tony thought grimly.
But despite everything, Obadiah had once acted as a father figure to him. That lingering sentiment prevented Tony from seeking complete revenge. Instead, they settled on a deal—20 years in a luxurious private prison. Essentially, house arrest.
In the original timeline, Obadiah had tried to kill Tony three times, so tony directly gave him a headshot. But with Erie's intervention, the entire terrorist base had been destroyed, erasing any further threats. Without the chaos of the movie plot, Obadiah was swiftly thrown behind bars.
"Anyway, what are you want to talk about it", tony asked while changing the topic.
It about saving the world.