May 14, 2026
Bid, rejected, still obsessed
Ryan Cohen hits back at eBay, says his takeover proposal should not be dismissed
Ryan Cohen won’t take no for an answer — and commenters are calling it billionaire breakup rage
TLDR: Ryan Cohen is pressing eBay to reconsider his takeover bid after being rejected, saying shareholders should get a say. Commenters, though, are split between enjoying his attack on eBay’s bosses and roasting him as a sore loser staging a very public billionaire meltdown.
Ryan Cohen is still chasing eBay after the company publicly swatted away his massive $56 billion takeover offer, and the internet is absolutely feasting on the drama. The GameStop boss says eBay’s board should stop brushing him off and let shareholders decide whether his $125-a-share bid deserves a real hearing. He’s also accusing eBay leadership of being overpaid, underinvested, and, in his own very subtle phrasing, “a bunch of losers.” Calm! Measured! Totally not escalating!
But the real fireworks are in the replies, where commenters are treating this less like a serious business story and more like a messy public breakup. One of the most-liked reactions said the whole thing is “giving pouty boyfriend who doesn’t want to accept the breakup energy,” which pretty much set the tone. Another went even harder, imagining Cohen getting dressed for work in “clown shoes” before heading off to an “abandoned mall GameStop.” Ouch.
The biggest argument in the crowd is whether Cohen is a fearless owner fighting lazy executives — or just talking big without the money fully lined up. Critics zeroed in on the financing questions, saying the bid looks shaky and that his TV appearances haven’t helped. Some are still drawn to his anti-corporate swagger and love the shot at eBay’s top brass, but plenty of readers think this is more stunt than strategy. In short: one man says shareholders deserve a voice; the comments say please, somebody take away the mic.
Key Points
- •Ryan Cohen told eBay’s board not to dismiss his $125-per-share, $56 billion takeover proposal and said shareholders should be allowed to evaluate it.
- •eBay rejected the unsolicited offer, saying it was neither credible nor attractive and citing concerns about financing, long-term growth, and leadership structure.
- •Cohen said he requested a meeting with eBay’s board but was turned down, and he indicated he may continue pursuing the acquisition.
- •GameStop owns a 5% stake in eBay, though analysts said Cohen would likely need a much larger stake to force governance changes such as calling a special shareholder meeting.
- •Cohen said TD provided a debt financing commitment letter contingent on an investment-grade rating, while Moody’s said the proposed deal would be credit negative for eBay.