Updated
Updated · Insider Gaming · Jul 16
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen Renews $55 Billion eBay Pursuit as He Says Media Wants Company to Fail
Updated
Updated · Insider Gaming · Jul 16

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen Renews $55 Billion eBay Pursuit as He Says Media Wants Company to Fail

1 articles · Updated · Insider Gaming · Jul 16

Summary

  • Ryan Cohen said GameStop is still pursuing eBay after its $55 billion bid was rejected in May, declaring, “We’re coming for eBay one way or another.”
  • Bloomberg Tech’s interview turned combative when Cohen argued media skepticism reflects a broader desire to see GameStop fail, both in its core business and in the eBay transaction.
  • GameStop’s recent performance underpinned that defense: Cohen cited $143 million in Q1 profit, which he called the company’s highest operating earnings on record.
  • Cohen framed the takeover push as shareholder-aligned capitalism, saying he gave up a proposed $35 billion payout to focus on acquiring eBay.

Insights

Is Ryan Cohen’s hostile eBay bid a retail masterstroke or a repeat of the disastrous AOL-Time Warner merger?
Can GameStop’s physical stores justify the massive debt and dilution needed to acquire a company four times its size?