--
Related Articles
US Markets
GameStop Proposes to Acquire eBay in $55.5 Billion Deal
EBay (EBAY) shares rose early Monday after video game retailer GameStop (GME) proposed to acquire the e-commerce company in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $55.5 billion.GameStop, which currently has a 5% stake in eBay, has offered to purchase the company for $125 a share, it said in a Sunday statement. The nonbinding proposal, which is structured as an equal mix of cash and stock, represents a premium of 46% to eBay's closing share price as of Feb. 4, the day GameStop started building up its position in the company.Ebay's stock climbed 8.9% in the most recent premarket activity, while GameStop declined 2.9%.GameStop plans to fund the cash portion of the potential transaction through a combination of cash and liquid investments on its balance sheet, amounting to about $9.4 billion at the end of January, as well as up to $20 billion in potential financing from TD Securities.In a Sunday letter to eBay Chairman Paul Pressler, GameStop Chief Executive Ryan Cohen said the video game retailer aims to eliminate $2 billion of the e-commerce company's annualized costs within a year of the potential deal's completion, including $1.2 billion in sales and marketing. The cost reductions are expected to increase eBay's per-share earnings from continuing operations to $7.79 from $4.26 in the first year, according to Cohen.Cohen, who also owns roughly 9% of GameStop, proposed to serve as CEO of the combined company. "I will receive no salary, no cash bonuses, and no golden parachute - I will be compensated solely based on the performance of the combined company," he said in the letter.In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Cohen said he's prepared to pursue a proxy fight and present the proposal directly to shareholders if eBay isn't receptive.Ebay didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by.Last week, eBay reported first-quarter adjusted EPS from continuing operations of $1.66, up from $1.37 year earlier. Revenue advanced 19% to $3.09 billion. At the time, the company said it expects adjusted EPS from continuing operations to come in between $1.46 and $1.51 and revenue to be in a range of $2.97 billion to $3.03 billion in the second quarter. The current consensus on FactSet is for non-GAAP EPS of $1.51 and sales of $3.01 billion.
$EBAY$GME
Research
Wedbush Upgrades Trade Desk to Neutral From Underperform, Keeps $23 Price Target
Trade Desk (TTD) has an average rating of overweight and mean price target of $30.65, according to analysts polled by FactSet.(covers equity, commodity and economic research from major banks and research firms in North America, Asia and Europe. Research providers may contact us here: https://www..com/contact-us)
$TTD
Asia
Ev Dynamics Secures HK$2 Million to Settle Legal Obligation
Ev Dynamics (HKG:0476) will issue an additional 3.8 million shares to retail investor Ho Siu Kei, raising HK$1.98 million in net proceeds, according to a Monday Hong Kong bourse filing.The shares will be issued at HK$0.52 each and will account for roughly 1.18% of the electric vehicle service provider's enlarged share capital.Proceeds from the subscription will be used primarily to settle a court-ordered payment of 1.59 million yuan, plus accrued interest, owed by its Guangxi Weiri unit to the People's Court of Qingxiu District in Nanning. The remaining funds will go toward working capital.The company previously raised about HK$1.9 million in April through a separate share issuance to the same subscriber.
$HKG:0476