---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001683168-22-002514"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "TOON"
cik: "0001355848"
company_name: "Kartoon Studios, Inc."
filed_at: "2022-04-12T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-26T07:52:47.957989+00:00"
event_type: "m_and_a"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.8
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Genius Brands closes Wow acquisition; combined 2021 revenue ~$72M; Hirsh to board

## Summary
- Acquired Wow for ~CDN $47.7M cash + 10.4M Genius shares + 691k exchangeable shares exchangeable 1:1 into GNUS.
- Wow 2021 revenue $64.2M USD, net income $2.8M, EBITDA $6.3M; Genius standalone revenue $7.9M (217% YoY).
- Michael Hirsh (Wow CEO) to join Genius Brands board; Wow's Mainframe Studios and Frederator Network added.
- Series B Preferred Stock created to pass voting rights to Exchangeco shareholders; automatically cancels if no votes.
- Wow estimates significant contracted bookings through 2022-2023; cost synergies expected from in-house animation.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001683168-22-002514
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: TOON
- cik: 0001355848
- company_name: Kartoon Studios, Inc.
- filed_at: 2022-04-12T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: m_and_a
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.8
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 2.01, 5.02, 5.03, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1355848/000168316822002514/0001683168-22-002514-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1355848/000168316822002514/genius_i8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-002514
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-002514.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001683168-22-002514.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Michael Hirsh was appointed as Director at Kartoon Studios, Inc..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Director
  source text: It is anticipated that the Company will appoint Michael Hirsh, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Wow board of directors prior to the transaction described herein, to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”).
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1355848/000168316822002514/0001683168-22-002514-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.