On Monday, Oprah Winfrey announced that she would be partnering up with Weight Watchers by buying a 10% stake in the company and accepting a position as board member and adviser.
Since the news broke, Forbes reports that Oprah has “single-handedly generated $700 million in stock market value” over the past two days. According to the publication, shares of Weight Watchers are up by around 170% and Oprah’s 10% stake in the company is now worth “some $110 million”.
In a press release announcing the big news, representatives for Oprah and the company confirmed the media mogul would be bringing her extensive knowledge and insight to the Weight Watchers program.
Oprah has been open about her weight loss journey over the years, and long-time fans have seen the billionaire’s figure fluctuate as the star battled to maintain a healthy weight. In the official statement announcing her Weight Watchers partnership, she spoke about the personal experience she had with the company.
“Weight Watchers has given me the tools to begin to make the lasting shift that I and so many of us who are struggling with weight have longed for,” she said in the statement.
“I believe in the program so much I decided to invest in the company and partner in its evolution.”
