Vizio Inc.

Who owns Vizio?
Vizio is owned by Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), which acquired the company in December 2024 for approximately $2.3 billion. Vizio was previously publicly traded on NYSE under ticker VZIO.

Why did Walmart buy Vizio?
Walmart acquired Vizio primarily for its SmartCast advertising platform and its approximately 18 million active SmartCast accounts. The acquisition is part of Walmart's strategy to build a larger advertising business (Walmart Connect) by combining Walmart's retail purchase data with Vizio's TV viewing data.

Is Vizio still making TVs?
Yes, Vizio continues to design and sell televisions and sound bars under Walmart ownership. The brand continues to operate as a consumer electronics company.

When was Vizio founded?
Vizio was founded in 2002 by William Wang, Laynie Newsome, and Ken Lowe in Irvine, California.

What is SmartCast?
SmartCast is Vizio's smart TV operating system and advertising platform. It integrates streaming services into Vizio TVs, includes the free WatchFree+ streaming service, and collects viewing data that is used for targeted advertising. SmartCast is the primary reason Walmart acquired Vizio.

Vizio Inc. was founded in 2002 by William Wang, Laynie Newsome, and Ken Lowe in Irvine, California. The company was created to provide high-quality, affordable televisions to American consumers, competing with established brands like Sony, Samsung, and LG by offering comparable features at lower prices.

Vizio's early success was built on its strategy of selling large-screen televisions at Costco and other big-box retailers at prices significantly below those of Japanese and Korean competitors. The company outsourced manufacturing to contract manufacturers in Asia, keeping costs low while focusing on design and distribution.

Vizio became one of the top-selling television brands in the United States by the mid-2000s, competing directly with Samsung, LG, and Sony. The company expanded its product line to include sound bars and other audio products.

Vizio introduced SmartCast, its smart TV operating system, in 2016. SmartCast integrated streaming services directly into Vizio TVs and collected data on viewing habits, enabling Vizio to build an advertising business on top of its hardware sales.

Vizio launched WatchFree+, a free ad-supported streaming service, as part of its SmartCast platform. WatchFree+ provided Vizio with advertising revenue and additional data on viewer preferences.

Vizio went public on the New York Stock Exchange in March 2021 under ticker VZIO, raising $268 million in its IPO at a valuation of approximately $3.5 billion.

In February 2023, Walmart announced an agreement to acquire Vizio for approximately $2.3 billion, or $11.50 per share. The acquisition was completed in December 2024 after receiving regulatory approval. Walmart's primary motivation for the acquisition was Vizio's SmartCast advertising platform and its approximately 18 million active SmartCast accounts, which provide valuable data for Walmart's advertising business.

Walmart's acquisition of Vizio was reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC raised concerns about the acquisition's potential impact on competition in the smart TV advertising market, but ultimately did not block the deal.

Vizio previously faced a significant privacy enforcement action from the FTC in 2017, when the company agreed to pay $2.2 million to settle charges that it collected viewing data from its smart TVs without consumers' knowledge or consent. The settlement required Vizio to obtain consent before collecting viewing data.