Motley Fool Hidden Gems Investing Forget Earnings Season. It’s Takeover Season.
May 5, 2026
Travis Hoium, Motley Fool analyst who covers M&A and markets, and Rachel Warren, investing analyst skilled in stock and financial analysis, dig into takeover chatter. They discuss GameStop’s audacious bid for eBay and how smaller buyers can buy bigger firms. They explore rumored Anthropic interest in Atlassian and how AI could reshape software distribution. They also pull lessons from Berkshire Hathaway on smart acquisitions.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Small Acquirer Attempting Giant Takeover
- GameStop's bid for eBay shows a small acquirer can attempt a giant takeover with outside financing.
- Ryan Cohen offered $125 a share in a 50/50 cash-stock deal and secured a $20B bridge loan from TD Securities.
Incentive Structure Fuels Aggressive Deals
- Ryan Cohen has incentivized growth via a pay package tied to GameStop reaching a $100 billion market cap.
- Cohen also disclosed a ~5% stake in eBay using derivatives, echoing his prior takeover playbook.
Profitability Doesn’t Solve Shrinking Revenue
- GameStop's improving margins don't erase a decade of declining revenue and a struggling core retail business.
- Travis Hoium warns the acquisition feels story-driven and must convince markets it's building long-term value.