Ryan Cohen Pushes $56B Hostile Takeover Bid for eBay at $125/Share

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is escalating pressure on eBay's board after directors rejected his unsolicited $56 billion takeover proposal at $125 per share, citing financing and leadership concerns. Cohen, who holds a 5% stake, contrasts his owner-operator approach with eBay's 10% EBITDA margin versus peers near 31%.

— Filed Fri, 15 May, 2026, 07:04 IST · Source Inside Retail US · Updated

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is pressing Ebay's board to engage on his $56 billion unsolicited takeover bid at $125/share, after directors rejected it citing financing and leadership concerns. Cohen threatens further action and contrasts his owner-operator stance with Ebay management.

Why this matters

Activist pressure on eBay escalates as Cohen moves from passive 5% holder to hostile bidder, framing the company's 10% EBITDA margin as evidence of operational underperformance versus 31% peer benchmarks.

Retail-company signals steady at 174 over the past 90 days.