GameStop CEO proposes $55.5bn takeover of eBay

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Known more widely for their unusual stock price in modern times, GameStop has seen a steady decline as the go-to retail space for US gamers. In what feels like an attempt to stay relevant to the uninformed onlooker, the company's CEO Ryan Cohen has sent an unsolicited offer to buy eBay, with him intending to serve as the CEO of the to-be combined company should it be accepted.

You can find the letter detailing his plans below.

Proposal Letter said:
Dear Chairman:

GameStop Corp. (“GameStop”) is proposing to acquire all common stock of eBay Inc. (“eBay”) at $125.00 per share. We have accumulated a 5% economic stake in eBay through derivatives and beneficial ownership of common stock and are filing a Schedule 13D and HSR notification tomorrow.

Our offer is $125.00 per share, comprising 50% cash and 50% GameStop common stock, with full shareholder election rights as to consideration type and pro-rata allocation. That represents a 46% premium to eBay’s unaffected closing price on February 4, 2026, the day GameStop started accumulating its position in eBay, a 27% premium to the 30-day VWAP, and a 36% premium to the 90-day VWAP. Aggregate undiluted equity value is approximately $55.5 billion. The transaction is conditioned on customary closing conditions.

eBay spent $2.4 billion on Sales & Marketing in fiscal 2025 and added one million net active buyers (134M to 135M). We will take $2 billion of annualized costs out within twelve months of close: $1.2 billion from Sales & Marketing, $300 million from Product Development, and $500 million from General & Administrative. Since 2021, GameStop has gone from a $381 million net loss to $418 million of net income, with SG&A down ~$800 million (47%).

On cost reductions alone, eBay’s diluted GAAP earnings per share from continuing operations would increase from $4.26 to $7.79 in year one. GameStop’s ~1,600 US locations give eBay a national network for authentication, intake, fulfillment, and live commerce.

GameStop had ~$9.4 billion in cash and liquid investments as of January 31, 2026. The cash consideration will be funded from cash and liquid investments on GameStop’s balance sheet and third-party equity and debt financing, which will be fully committed at execution of definitive documentation. A highly-confident letter from TD Securities for up to $20 billion is attached.

Our Board unanimously supports this proposal.

Following close, I will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the combined company. I will receive no salary, no cash bonuses, and no golden parachute – I will be compensated solely based on the performance of the combined company.

Ryan Cohen
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
GameStop Corp.

At the time of writing there has been no public comment on the proposal from eBay.

:arrow: Source
 
Could mean Gamestop starts selling more retro games. At hugely inflated prices.

I remember when I'd get upset at used game stores/flea markerts selling games at "ebay prices"
I'm now seeing PS2s for 150-200 at local used stores and $90 on eBay with games and controllers.
 
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Not even a cash buyout. The value is fake and honestly it’s laughable. Just the cost of doing business, I guess.
That's the best part. Anybody can make an offer when liquid cash doesn't have to be immediate.

In fact... @shaunj66 can, and should, make a bid. I've been saying for years we should buy out GameStop and become GMEtemp.

Now's the perfect opportunity, while the CEO is distracted with eBay, we send Tempy to knock on his door.
 
That's the best part. Anybody can make an offer when liquid cash doesn't have to be immediate.

In fact... @shaunj66 can, and should, make a bid. I've been saying for years we should buy out GameStop and become GMEtemp.

Now's the perfect opportunity, while the CEO is distracted with eBay, we send Tempy to knock on his door.
itll never happen but
it would be so awesome
it would be so cool
 
I am trying to not laugh at this, but it's way too hard.
O think 2nd ... we have Microsoft Windows/XboxGamepass.

Id laugh if MS don't rush to outbid as they hear a game related company buying ebay.....

Ms are here nor there, back n forth trying to copy what everyone else is doing rather than securing its sights onto one goal, get that right then look at adding.
 
I had to check if it was April Fools again. Here's a reality check:

GameStop (GME) has offered $56 billion in cash and stock to buy (EBAY). But an interview with CEO Ryan Cohen on the math surrounding the deal raised more questions than answers.

GameStop is roughly a fourth the size of eBay, with roughly $9 billion of cash on its balance sheet. The company said it has a “highly-confident letter” from TD Bank for $20 billion in debt financing. Meanwhile, eBay’s valuation is $46 billion.

Cohen appeared annoyed with CNBC hosts when pressed on how the company would raise the necessary funds to purchase eBay, a legacy online marketplace.

“It’s half cash, half stock, but the details are on our website,” Cohen said.


🤣
 
Fuck GameStop man, eBay is one of the last online places you can still find decent deals on certain things, and they would quickly put a stop to that.
Well eBay certainly is one of the best ways to buy games. But it's not the cheapest way to get games. If you want to get games for free all that you have to do is this message has been removed by the moderation staff.
 
Well eBay certainly is one of the best ways to buy games. But it's not the cheapest way to get games. If you want to get games for free all that you have to do is this message has been removed by the moderation staff.
Less the games themselves, more the hardware like consoles and controllers. One of my most recent purchases was an open box 8bitdo Ultimate 2 for less than $30, GameStop would surely snatch up deals like those as a middleman and resell at a huge markup.

Then of course there's a lot of stuff GameStop hasn't carried in ages, like CDs/DVDs, and stuff they've never carried and wouldn't know how to manage the market for, like auto parts.
 

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