Gamestop CEO Ryan Cohen on His Bid for eBay 5/4/26

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Investing, Business, News, Business News

4.2 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 4 May 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In an exclusive interview, Gamestop CEO Ryan Cohen fields questions about his proposed and unsolicited deal to buy eBay for $55.5 billion. Andrew Ross Sorkin, Becky Quick, Melissa Lee, and Mike Santoli bring up concerns about the financing calculus, given Gamestop’s current market cap and balance sheet. Becky Quick wraps up an eventful weekend at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder Meeting in Omaha, and Andrew discusses the latest OpenAI headlines with founder and editor-in-chief of The Information, Jessica Lessin. Ryan Cohen - 20:27 Jessica Lessin - 38:38 In this episode: Ryan Cohen, @ryancohen Jessica Lessin, @jessicalessin Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC Michael Santoli, @michaelsantoli Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Transcript

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0:00.0	Bring in show music, please.
0:04.3	This is SquawkPod, and I'm CNBC producer Cameron Costa.
0:08.4	On today's episode, GameStop's ambitious pitch to buy eBay for almost $56 billion.
0:17.2	Yes, it is very unlikely.
0:19.3	But a lot of things about the GameStop story was very unlikely.
0:22.2	100%. We attempt to add up the numbers for financing with GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen.
0:29.2	Where's the rest of the money coming from? Andrew laid it out pretty clearly.
0:32.8	I don't understand your question. We're offering half cash, half stock, and we have the ability to issue
0:38.6	stock in order to get the deal done. But the full details of the offer are on our website.
0:45.4	But you're on our air. We thought we'd get... But I don't understand your question.
0:51.2	Then Open AI's many headlines this Monday, the Altman Musk trial, new joint ventures, and a public listing on the horizon.
0:59.6	The information's founder and editor-in-chief, Jessica Lesson.
1:03.5	I think everyone's a little ahead of their skis on the timing of this IPO.
1:08.2	Plus, the latest in Iran and a recap from the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholder meeting over
1:14.2	the weekend.
1:15.3	Longtime CEO, Warren Buffett, was seated throughout in the very front row.
1:20.0	Of course, it's the first time in 60 years he's been watching from the audience.
1:24.2	It is Monday, May 4th, and Squawk Pod begins right now.
1:29.7	Stand by in three, two, one.
1:32.3	Cure, please.
1:35.1	Good morning and welcome to Squackbox here on CNBC.
1:37.6	I'm Melissa Lee along with Becky Quick and Mike Santoli.
	...

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