EA's $18B LBO debt: annual interest of $1.8B exceeds $1.5B EBITDA, driving $700M in planned cuts

Saudi Arabia's PIF completed its US$55B acquisition of Electronic Arts on 4 August 2026, taking the publisher private. The leveraged buyout left EA carrying roughly US$18B in debt, according to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. Annual interest of US$1.8B exceeds EA's US$1.5B EBITDA. EA told debt investors it will cut US$700M in annual costs, including US$170M in "organisational efficiencies" — mass layoffs.