GameStop may abandon its $56 billion takeover offer for eBay in favor of a commercial partnership leveraging retail locations.
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is evaluating a withdrawal of the company’s $56 billion bid for eBay, opting instead for a strategic partnership. The proposal would utilize GameStop’s 1,600 U.S. retail stores to boost eBay’s market share in high-margin categories like trading cards and collectibles.
The bid, disclosed in July, followed GameStop’s acquisition of a 9.8% stake in eBay, making it one of the largest shareholders. eBay, with a market capitalization nearly five times larger than GameStop, previously rejected the unsolicited offer, prompting Cohen to explore alternative deal structures.
A potential partnership could include GameStop securing board seats at eBay, though neither company has commented on the discussions.