When did GameStop make its acquisition offer for eBay?

GameStop made an unsolicited offer to buy eBay in May 2026 for roughly $56 billion.

How did GameStop increase its stake from 5% to 9.8%?

GameStop bought 3.5 million shares for $381 million last month and settled 39 million shares from put/call pairs on Friday.

Ryan Cohen is the CEO of GameStop and an activist investor known for building stakes in companies like eBay.

GameStop Owns Nearly 10% of eBay, SEC Filing Reveals

GameStop disclosed in a regulatory filing that it owns 9.8% of eBay, nearly three months after making an unsolicited $56 billion offer to buy the e-commerce company. The stake increased from 5% in May through share purchases and derivative settlements.

July 18, 2026

2 min read

Source: Reuters

Key Numbers

ownership percentage

9.8%

shares owned

43.4 million

value of stake

~$56 billion (implied offer value)

recent purchase

3.5 million shares for ~$381 million

settled shares

39 million shares from put/call pairs

Video game retailer GameStop (GME) disclosed in a regulatory filing late Friday that it owns nearly 10% of e-commerce company eBay (EBAY), nearly three months after making an unsolicited offer to buy eBay for roughly $56 billion.

Details

GameStop said it owns 43.4 million outstanding shares of eBay, or 9.8%, marking a dramatic increase from early May when GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen told eBay's board chairman "we have accumulated a 5% economic stake" through derivatives and beneficial ownership. GameStop bought 3.5 million eBay shares for roughly $381 million last month and settled 39 million eBay shares from put/call pairs on Friday.

Context

The disclosure follows GameStop's unsolicited $56 billion offer to acquire eBay in May, which eBay rejected. The move is part of activist investor Ryan Cohen's strategy to increase his influence over eBay. eBay has not yet commented on the new filing.

What This Means for Investors

The significant stake increase signals GameStop's serious intent to influence eBay's management or push for a deal. However, eBay's previous rejection leaves the outcome uncertain. Investors will watch for regulatory developments or further moves by either party.

Frequently Asked Questions

GameStop owns 43.4 million shares of eBay, representing 9.8% of outstanding shares.

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This article was rewritten in Wrqti's editorial style based on information from the original source above. Content is informational only — not investment advice.