Stocks Set To Continue Crashing After Worst Selloff Since 2020: Tariff Announcement Was '100% Smoot Hawley Disguised As Thoughtful Policy,' Says Expert
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 04 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Market Reaction to Tariffs: U.S. stock futures fell sharply following President Trump's tariffs announcement, with the Dow Jones experiencing its fifth-largest drop ever, while major indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq faced significant losses. Trump downplayed the market's reaction, predicting future growth despite the downturn.
Sector Performance and Economic Data: Technology stocks were hit hardest, with notable declines in companies like Apple and Amazon, while consumer staples showed resilience. Mixed economic data was released, showing a decrease in jobless claims but a decline in the ISM services PMI, indicating varied economic signals amidst the market volatility.
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Analyst Views on GME
About GME
GameStop Corp. offers games and entertainment products through its stores and ecommerce platforms. The Company operates in four geographic segments: United States, Canada, Australia and Europe. Each segment consists primarily of retail operations, with the significant majority focused on games, entertainment products and technology. The Company has a total of approximately 3,203 stores across all of its segments: 2,325 in the United States, 193 in Canada, 374 in Australia, and 311 in Europe. Its stores and ecommerce sites operate primarily under the names GameStop, EB Games and Micromania. Its Australia and Europe segments also include 38 pop culture-themed stores selling collectibles, apparel, gadgets, electronics, toys and other retail products for technology enthusiasts and general consumers in international markets operating under the Zing Pop Culture brand. Its retail stores are generally located in strip centers, shopping malls and pedestrian areas.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
GameStop Confirms Bid for eBay Amid Market Reactions
- Acquisition Confirmation: GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen confirmed on CNBC that the company has made a non-binding bid for eBay, intending to fund the deal with 50% cash and 50% stock, indicating a proactive approach in M&A activities.
- Economic Stake Established: Cohen noted that GameStop has built approximately a 5% economic stake in eBay through derivatives and some common stock, which aims to strengthen its negotiating position in the acquisition talks.
- Detailed Financing Plan: GameStop plans to leverage its cash reserves and a 'highly confident' financing letter to raise up to $20 billion in new debt to support the acquisition, reflecting the company's confidence in the transaction.
- Market Reaction Analysis: Analysts believe that while eBay's stock rose 4.9% on the acquisition news, GameStop's shares fell 9.6% due to dilution risks and capital deployment concerns, indicating the market's low perception of the deal's completion probability.
See More
GameStop's Strategic Plan for eBay Acquisition Discussed
- Employee Overcapacity: GameStop's CEO criticized eBay's workforce of 11,500 as excessive, suggesting he could manage the business from home, indicating potential layoffs and cost reductions in the future.
- Cost-Cutting Strategy: He noted eBay's $2.5 billion annual expenditure to gain 1 million users, planning to cut $2 billion in sales, marketing, and corporate overhead, with expectations for rapid implementation to enhance eBay's profitability.
- High Operating Expenses: eBay incurs $5.5 billion in operating expenses annually, which seems unreasonable for an $11 billion asset-light business, potentially prompting investors to reassess its financial health.
- Market Reaction: GameStop's stock rose 1.6%, while eBay's fell 3.7%, currently trading well below the proposed acquisition price of $125, reflecting market skepticism about the deal's success, which may impact future acquisition negotiations.
See More
GameStop's eBay Acquisition Proposal Sparks Market Skepticism
- Acquisition Proposal Overview: GameStop's proposal to acquire eBay values the company at approximately $55.5 billion, offering $125 per share in a 50% cash and 50% stock deal, representing a roughly 20% premium over eBay's Friday closing price.
- Market Reaction Tepid: Although eBay shares initially surged following the announcement, they quickly retraced to pre-announcement levels, indicating skepticism in the market, particularly after Cohen's failure to clarify financing details during the interview.
- Investor Confidence Shaken: Cohen's evasive responses regarding funding in the CNBC interview alienated institutional investors, leading to doubts about the seriousness of the proposal, especially after prominent investor Michael Burry sold his entire GameStop position.
- Retail Investor Sentiment: Despite the market's skepticism, retail sentiment on Stocktwits for both eBay and GameStop remains in the 'extremely bullish' territory, reflecting a positive outlook among retail investors regarding the potential deal.
See More
MOODY'S RATINGS: GAMESTOP'S ACQUISITION OF EBAY WOULD HARM CREDIT RATING
- Moody's Rating: Moody's has indicated that the acquisition of eBay by GameStop would result in a negative credit impact.
- Credit Implications: The potential acquisition is viewed unfavorably in terms of credit ratings, suggesting financial risks for GameStop.
See More
GameStop Proposes $56 Billion Acquisition of eBay
- Acquisition Proposal Confirmed: eBay has confirmed receipt of a non-binding acquisition proposal from GameStop, offering $125 per share, indicating GameStop's interest in acquiring eBay, which may prompt a reevaluation of future strategies for both companies.
- Market Valuation Comparison: GameStop's current market cap is approximately $10.7 billion, while eBay's stands at about $49 billion, highlighting the financial challenges GameStop faces in this acquisition while also reflecting its optimism about eBay's growth potential.
- Economic Stake Established: GameStop has built a 5% economic stake in eBay through derivatives and direct ownership, which not only strengthens the legitimacy of its acquisition proposal but may also provide leverage in future negotiations.
- Investor Sentiment Cautious: Despite the acquisition proposal generating interest, the market remains skeptical about the deal's success, as evidenced by declines in both eBay and GameStop's stock prices, reflecting a lack of confidence among investors regarding the completion of the transaction.
See More
EBAY'S BOARD TO CONVENE THIS WEEK TO EVALUATE GAMESTOP'S UNREQUESTED $56 BILLION OFFER - SEMAFOR
eBay Board Meeting: eBay's board is scheduled to meet this week to discuss a significant financial proposal.
$56 Billion Bid: The meeting will focus on reviewing a $56 billion unsolicited bid from GameStop's Semafor.
See More
GameStop Confirms Bid for eBay Amid Market Reactions
- Acquisition Confirmation: GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen confirmed on CNBC that the company has made a non-binding bid for eBay, intending to fund the deal with 50% cash and 50% stock, indicating a proactive approach in M&A activities.
- Economic Stake Established: Cohen noted that GameStop has built approximately a 5% economic stake in eBay through derivatives and some common stock, which aims to strengthen its negotiating position in the acquisition talks.
- Detailed Financing Plan: GameStop plans to leverage its cash reserves and a 'highly confident' financing letter to raise up to $20 billion in new debt to support the acquisition, reflecting the company's confidence in the transaction.
- Market Reaction Analysis: Analysts believe that while eBay's stock rose 4.9% on the acquisition news, GameStop's shares fell 9.6% due to dilution risks and capital deployment concerns, indicating the market's low perception of the deal's completion probability.
See More
GameStop's Strategic Plan for eBay Acquisition Discussed
- Employee Overcapacity: GameStop's CEO criticized eBay's workforce of 11,500 as excessive, suggesting he could manage the business from home, indicating potential layoffs and cost reductions in the future.
- Cost-Cutting Strategy: He noted eBay's $2.5 billion annual expenditure to gain 1 million users, planning to cut $2 billion in sales, marketing, and corporate overhead, with expectations for rapid implementation to enhance eBay's profitability.
- High Operating Expenses: eBay incurs $5.5 billion in operating expenses annually, which seems unreasonable for an $11 billion asset-light business, potentially prompting investors to reassess its financial health.
- Market Reaction: GameStop's stock rose 1.6%, while eBay's fell 3.7%, currently trading well below the proposed acquisition price of $125, reflecting market skepticism about the deal's success, which may impact future acquisition negotiations.
See More
GameStop's eBay Acquisition Proposal Sparks Market Skepticism
- Acquisition Proposal Overview: GameStop's proposal to acquire eBay values the company at approximately $55.5 billion, offering $125 per share in a 50% cash and 50% stock deal, representing a roughly 20% premium over eBay's Friday closing price.
- Market Reaction Tepid: Although eBay shares initially surged following the announcement, they quickly retraced to pre-announcement levels, indicating skepticism in the market, particularly after Cohen's failure to clarify financing details during the interview.
- Investor Confidence Shaken: Cohen's evasive responses regarding funding in the CNBC interview alienated institutional investors, leading to doubts about the seriousness of the proposal, especially after prominent investor Michael Burry sold his entire GameStop position.
- Retail Investor Sentiment: Despite the market's skepticism, retail sentiment on Stocktwits for both eBay and GameStop remains in the 'extremely bullish' territory, reflecting a positive outlook among retail investors regarding the potential deal.
See More
MOODY'S RATINGS: GAMESTOP'S ACQUISITION OF EBAY WOULD HARM CREDIT RATING
- Moody's Rating: Moody's has indicated that the acquisition of eBay by GameStop would result in a negative credit impact.
- Credit Implications: The potential acquisition is viewed unfavorably in terms of credit ratings, suggesting financial risks for GameStop.
See More
GameStop Proposes $56 Billion Acquisition of eBay
- Acquisition Proposal Confirmed: eBay has confirmed receipt of a non-binding acquisition proposal from GameStop, offering $125 per share, indicating GameStop's interest in acquiring eBay, which may prompt a reevaluation of future strategies for both companies.
- Market Valuation Comparison: GameStop's current market cap is approximately $10.7 billion, while eBay's stands at about $49 billion, highlighting the financial challenges GameStop faces in this acquisition while also reflecting its optimism about eBay's growth potential.
- Economic Stake Established: GameStop has built a 5% economic stake in eBay through derivatives and direct ownership, which not only strengthens the legitimacy of its acquisition proposal but may also provide leverage in future negotiations.
- Investor Sentiment Cautious: Despite the acquisition proposal generating interest, the market remains skeptical about the deal's success, as evidenced by declines in both eBay and GameStop's stock prices, reflecting a lack of confidence among investors regarding the completion of the transaction.
See More
EBAY'S BOARD TO CONVENE THIS WEEK TO EVALUATE GAMESTOP'S UNREQUESTED $56 BILLION OFFER - SEMAFOR
eBay Board Meeting: eBay's board is scheduled to meet this week to discuss a significant financial proposal.
$56 Billion Bid: The meeting will focus on reviewing a $56 billion unsolicited bid from GameStop's Semafor.
See More
