Intercontinental Exchange Makes Takeover Offer for eBay
A deal could value the online marketplace at more than $30 billion
New York Stock Exchange owner Intercontinental Exchange Inc. ICE -1.14% has made a takeover offer for eBay Inc. EBAY +5.41% that could value the sprawling online marketplace at more than $30 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
Intercontinental Exchange, known as ICE, has approached eBay in the past and did so again recently, the people said. The companies aren’t currently in formal talks and there is no guarantee eBay would agree to a deal.
Should there be one, it would be big, given eBay’s market value of more than $28 billion and the premium ICE would likely have to pay.
ICE is primarily interested in owning eBay’s core marketplace business, the people said, and not its classified unit, which eBay has been considering selling. The classified unit could fetch around $10 billion in a sale, people familiar with the matter have said.
ICE may see an opening to apply its technological expertise connecting buyers and sellers to eBay’s core e-commerce site covering everything from electronics to collectibles.