GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRO) stock is trading higher after the company penned a definitive merger deal with Starman Optical for $285 million. The company also announced it will remain publicly listed on Nasdaq.
Details
Under the deal, GoPro shareholders will receive consideration of $1.14 per share, subject to potential adjustments based on GoPro’s net working capital at closing.
The company will retain around 10% ownership of the combined company’s outstanding shares.
GoPro’s roughly $92 million in outstanding debt will be fully repaid at closing, leaving the company with a clean, substantially debt-free balance sheet.
The transaction is expected to close by year-end 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, including approval by GoPro’s stockholders.
After the deal closes, the combined company plans to apply its intellectual property, optics and imaging expertise across the defense, government, robotics and aerospace sectors, supported by growing demand for U.S.-manufactured solutions.
Adds U.S.-Based Optical Transceiver Business
The proposed merger is designed to strengthen GoPro’s financial position and reposition the company while allowing it to remain publicly traded on Nasdaq.
The transaction is expected to add a U.S.-based optical transceiver business, enabling GoPro to pursue growth opportunities in AI data centers, government, defense and aerospace markets.
At the same time, GoPro plans to continue supporting its existing consumer products as well as its subscription and cloud platform while making investments aimed at driving future growth.
YouTube Star Markiplier Emerges As Major Shareholder
In addition, the company got a boost as megastar YouTube creator and filmmaker Mark Fischbach, known online as Markiplier, built an 8.5% passive stake in GoPro. The SEC filing confirms Fischbach is now GoPro’s largest individual shareholder.
What GoPro (GPRO) Does
GoPro designs and sells cameras, mounts, accessories, and lifestyle gear, and also runs apps, subscriptions, and services, with sales flowing through retailers, distributors, and GoPro.com.
It develops products across the U.S., France, China, and Romania, while outsourcing most manufacturing to contract manufacturers in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
GPRO Price Action
GPRO Stock Price Activity: GoPro shares were up 46.79% at $1.275 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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