Meme stock GameStop pitches US$56 billion eBay takeover
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This Jan. 28, 2021, file photo, shows a GameStop store in New York. Photo by AP Photo/John MinchilloArticle contentGameStop Corp. is proposing to buy eBay Inc. for about US$56 billion in cash and stock, a bold attempt by Ryan Cohen to take over a storied e-commerce name several times larger.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentThe gaming retail chain offered US$125 per share in cash and stock for the online marketplace, or about a 20 per cent premium to its Friday close. GameStop, which built a roughly five per cent stake in eBay, said it’s secured an initial, non-binding “highly confident letter” from TD Bank to provide about US$20 billion of debt financing. In a memo to investors Sunday, Cohen’s company pledged to find some $2 billion of annual savings within 12 months of closing.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentArticle contentEBay stock surged about 10 per cent in pre-market trading in New York Monday, though to about US$114 — substantially below the value of the offer — in a sign investors see hurdles to completing a deal. GameStop stood largely unchanged.Article contentPosthasteBreaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentThe takeover bid follows the surprising ascent of GameStop, a chain of video game outlets that shrank its brick-and-mortar footprint after gamers increasingly bought software in digital stores. In 2021, it became the centre of a retail-investor frenzy. Michael Burry, the Scion Asset Management head who rose to prominence after a winning wager against mortgages ahead of the 2008 financial crisis, helped fuel GameStop’s rally by taking a bullish stance on the firm around 2019.Article contentCohen is now proposing to take over a company roughly four times larger than the retail chain he operates. GameStop had a market value of US$12 billion as of Friday. EBay was much bigger at around US$46 billion, though the game retailer has about US$9 billion in cash. The takeover offer is split evenly between cash and GameStop common stock.Article contentBoth companies have struggled to adapt to changing consumer preferences. GameStop has shut stores and emphasized collectible toys and trading cards as more video games get purchased online. EBay too has been pushing collectibles and used goods on its own marketplace, creating a business overlap.Article contentArticle contentAbout 136 million shoppers globally made purchases on EBay in the 12-month period ending March 31. Shoppers spend about US$80 billion annually on the marketplace.Article contentRead More Michael Burry, an early GameStop buyer, is back hyping the stock GameStop sells its Canadian business to toy entrepreneur Article content“EBAY itself is in the midst of a turnaround — one that is going well,” Bernstein analysts wrote. “But to the extent there are any challenges or volatility from categories like Collectibles, this could put further strain on the math. We see real challenges to structuring this deal.”Article contentEBay representatives declined to comment. Chief executive Jamie Iannone was scheduled to meet on Monday with Bloomberg News. But a company representative made contact Sunday to cancel the meeting, saying Iannone’s travel plans changed over the weekend.Article contentGameStop’s Cohen earlier told the Wall Street Journal he’s prepared for a proxy fight and will take the offer to shareholders if necessary.Article content“EBay should be worth — and will be worth — a lot more money,” he told the newspaper. “I’m thinking about turning eBay into something worth hundreds of billions of dollars.”Article contentCohen has set ambitious goals for himself. In January, the company unveiled a compensation package that would reward him with options on over 171 million shares if he lifted GameStop’s market value to US$100 billion. In Sunday’s statement, Cohen said he would take over a combined entity but get paid solely based on the performance of that firm.Article content“Though the companies overlap in collectibles and resale, we see low probability of a deal,” Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Poonam Goyal and Sydney Goodman said in a note on Friday. “Any credible offer would require substantial dilution and introduce meaningful execution risk.”Article contentWith assistance from Kevin Whitelaw and Se Young LeeArticle contentBloomberg.comArticle contentTrending Subscriber only. How Carney's new sovereign wealth fund could backfire on the economy Subscriber only Investor Clean nickel discovery in N.L. hits junior mining funding wall Newfoundland & Labrador Imperial Oil cuts 130 jobs as it continues a painful restructuring Oil & Gas The Carney government is circling closer to airport privatization and potential investors 'stand ready' Economy Garry Marr: Are young FHSA savers about to get duped again?
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