GameStop’s audacious attempt to buy eBay is officially dead in the water. eBay’s board has rejected the proposal outright, and the language it used left very little room for interpretation.
What Just Happened
eBay chairman Paul Pressler wrote to GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen on Tuesday to deliver the board’s verdict. The letter was direct: “We have concluded that your proposal is neither credible nor attractive.”
The rejection lands after Cohen made headlines last week by announcing an unsolicited bid to buy eBay for $56 billion. The offer came in at $125 per share, a 20% premium to eBay’s price at the time. On paper it looked bold. In practice, the numbers raised immediate questions. GameStop’s market cap sits at roughly $10-12 billion. eBay is worth nearly four times that. Attempting to buy a company that much larger than yourself, with a deal structured around cash and stock, requires a convincing financing story. Cohen did not deliver one.
The Financing Problem That Sank the Bid
Cohen said GameStop had secured a $20 billion financing commitment from TD Securities, part of TD Bank. The letter, however, came with a significant catch: it was non-binding, and required the combined company to maintain an investment-grade credit profile from at least two of the three major ratings agencies.
Moody’s had already flagged concerns, noting that the proposed deal would be “credit negative” for eBay because of how much leverage the structure would pile on. With roughly $9 billion in cash on hand and a $20 billion conditional financing letter, GameStop was still billions short of a $56 billion deal, and the conditions attached to that letter made the gap even harder to bridge.
When Cohen appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box to make his case, the performance did not help. Asked directly how GameStop planned to fund the acquisition, he answered only that it would be “cash and stock” without further detail. The interview was widely described as awkward and combative, and analysts said it failed to generate the retail investor momentum that a deal of this scale would need.
What Cohen Actually Wanted
Cohen’s pitch to eBay had a clear logic to it, even if the financials did not. He argued that combining GameStop’s 1,600 US retail stores with eBay’s marketplace could build a serious competitor to Amazon, using physical locations to authenticate goods, fulfil orders, and power live commerce. He also pledged to slash costs and improve profitability, applying the same aggressive efficiency-focused approach he has pushed at GameStop.
Cohen told Business Insider he was never passionate about GameStop but has always wanted to run eBay. “I’m passionate about eBay. I believe in eBay’s business,” he said. eBay’s board, reviewing its own strong recent performance, its stock up 24% year-to-date and its turnaround strategy delivering results, was not moved.
The board’s rejection letter cited six specific factors it considered: eBay’s standalone prospects, the uncertainty of GameStop’s financial proposal, the impact on eBay’s long-term growth, the leverage and operational risks of a combined entity, the valuation implications, and GameStop’s own governance and executive incentive structure.
Who Is Already Out
Michael Burry, who built his reputation predicting the 2008 housing crash and became a cultural figure thanks to The Big Short, reportedly sold his entire GameStop stake after Cohen’s offer became public. Burry’s concern was straightforward: the deal could saddle GameStop with debt and dilute shareholders. The exit of one of GameStop’s most famous backers during the meme stock era sent a clear signal about Wall Street’s confidence in the proposal.
Gordon Haskett analysts, speaking before eBay’s rejection, called the offer a “lopsided marriage proposal” and said the odds of acceptance were always low. After the formal rejection, they noted the ball is now in Cohen’s court.
What Comes Next
Reuters has reported that Cohen may attempt a hostile takeover by taking the offer directly to eBay shareholders through a special meeting, bypassing the board entirely. That path is significantly harder and would require Cohen to persuade a shareholder base in a company doing well under its current management.
eBay described itself in the rejection letter as “a strong, resilient business” that has “delivered meaningful results over the past several years” and expressed full confidence in its current team. Its stock has climbed 24% this year. The case for its shareholders to force a deal with a smaller, debt-dependent buyer is not an obvious one.
For now, the bid is rejected. Cohen’s next move, whether he escalates or steps back, will determine whether this story has a second chapter or ends here. Keep an eye on TalkEsport’s gaming business coverage for updates as this develops.