GameStop makes $55.5bn takeover offer for eBay
US video games retailer GameStop has offered to buy eBay for $55.5bn (£41bn) in an unsolicited bid that its boss warned could turn hostile if the proposal is rebuffed by eBay’s board.GameStop, which has quietly accumulated a 5% stake in eBay, said it was willing to pay $125 a share, split 50-50 between cash and stock.
It is an ambitious move by the games company, which catapulted to fame during the meme-stock craze of 2021 but is worth far less than its takeover target. GameStop had a market valuation of roughly $12bn on Friday before its bid, while eBay – originally launched as a side hobby by its founder Pierre Omidyar in 1995 – is worth about $46bn.
Just what the company needs ... tens of billions in more debt.
GameStop makes $55.5bn takeover offer for eBay
Video game retailer’s CEO warns that unsolicited bid could turn hostile if it is rebuffed by resale site’s boardKalyeena Makortoff (The Guardian)
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https://startrek.website/u/iltoroargento
in reply to Powderhorn • • •How about, and hear me out here... How about, we jettison Ryan Cohen into the sun.
Genuinely, two out of the three GameStops near me just closed for good. How is that the sign of a company that could manage a hostile takeover of a major industry player from the dotcom era?
Edit: apostrophe on mobile
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frustrated_phagocytosis and deliriousdreams like this.
CrypticCoffee
in reply to • • •Well if the rent and costs are higher than revenue, it'll bleed and eventually kill the business. Bricks and Mortar stores don't make as much as before.
How many GameStop shops do you actually need near you? Sounds like your area was oversubscribed.
Many great brands have died to Amazon in the UK. One day, we'll only have these big shitty businesses. Anything that can keep bricks and mortar stores in business is probably necessary.
Didn't expect them to be buying eBay though. That came out the blue.
https://startrek.website/u/iltoroargento
in reply to CrypticCoffee • • •Yeah, I get that, I just also am not sure they're doing such great business online either, they had serious issues even before and after the meme stock craze.
Mostly just ticked at people enshitifying functioning businesses.
Edit: To your oversaturation point, definitely one in my immediate area was more than enough. They also closed one down around thirty minutes from me which is kinda rough for that town and the employees there.
NotSteve_
in reply to • • •like this
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XLE
in reply to • • •Relevant comment from Hacker News:
This is just a leverage buyout and it will likely result in the slow death of bo... | Hacker News
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deifyed
in reply to • • •Tim_Bisley
in reply to Powderhorn • • •GMac
in reply to Powderhorn • • •There are reasons why I would never use Gamestop but do (currently) use eBay and have done for over 20 years.
On of those reasons is Ryan Cohen and if he takes over I will delete my account without any hesitation at all.
Per Ryan Cohen's Wikipedia page: "He supported Donald Trump during the 2024 United States presidential election, and promoted the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was rigged. Cohen has publicly expressed criticism of Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. In early 2025, he criticized Canada and France for "wokeness and DEI" and said they have "high taxes, Liberalism, Socialism, Progressivism" that generated a challenging business environment in those markets."
When will these billionaires just take the fact they already have far more money than they can ever spend, and FUCK RIGHT OFF!!! Let someone else run a business with morals, ethics, and a desire for something other than the extraction of wealth that can never be spent. At this point when you have so much, to chase more can only be because it denies the rest of the plane acces
... Show more...There are reasons why I would never use Gamestop but do (currently) use eBay and have done for over 20 years.
On of those reasons is Ryan Cohen and if he takes over I will delete my account without any hesitation at all.
Per Ryan Cohen's Wikipedia page: "He supported Donald Trump during the 2024 United States presidential election, and promoted the conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was rigged. Cohen has publicly expressed criticism of Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. In early 2025, he criticized Canada and France for "wokeness and DEI" and said they have "high taxes, Liberalism, Socialism, Progressivism" that generated a challenging business environment in those markets."
When will these billionaires just take the fact they already have far more money than they can ever spend, and FUCK RIGHT OFF!!! Let someone else run a business with morals, ethics, and a desire for something other than the extraction of wealth that can never be spent. At this point when you have so much, to chase more can only be because it denies the rest of the plane access to that wealth which could do so much economic rebalancing as well as social and environmental good.
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redsand
in reply to Powderhorn • • •This might actually work. Would corner the market on used physical games, funko pops and most of all collectable cards.
Probably just an evil scheme but would be funny if pokemon made it work