Business · Bumble takeoverBumble Agrees to $1.3 Billion Sale as Paying Users FallAired October 13, 2026 at 10:16 PM UTCWritten October 13, 2026 at 10:20 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyFollow via RSSTranscript · LOADING0:07Bumble has agreed to sell itself for $1.3 billion in cash.0:11The deal would take the dating app company private and put two new chief executives0:15in charge.0:16When will that handover happen, and where does founder Whitney Wolf Heard fit?0:20Bumble announced the agreement on October 13th, after signing it the day before.0:24Earlier that day, takeover speculation centered on talks worth about $1 billion or0:30£757 million.0:32The announced agreement put the value at $1.3 billion or £980 million.0:37Class A shareholders are to receive $6.05 per share in cash.0:42Bumble says that's a 138% premium to the share price before takeover news affected0:47trading.0:48Payment depends on the merger reaching completion.0:50Bumble calls $1.3 billion the transaction's value.0:54It hasn't explained how that figure breaks down between shares, debt, and cash.0:58An independent director committee unanimously recommended the deal.1:02Principal shareholders supplied the required written consent, with Wolf Heard and1:06Blackstone securing that approval.1:07Ravi Gupta and John Hageman would become co-chief executives after closing.1:12They founded Ithaca Holdings, a technology-focused, long-term holding company.1:16Gupta is associated with Sequoia, and Hageman is a former meta-executive.1:20They would succeed Whitney Wolf, Heard.1:23Wolf Heard's return to the top job was announced on January 17, 2025, effective in1:29mid-March.1:30She succeeded Lydian Jones, who resigned for personal reasons and stayed until the1:34transition.1:34Now Wolf Heard says she'll remain actively involved and work closely with the new1:38owners.1:39Wolf Heard hasn't specified what job she'll hold after the acquisition.1:43Her promise of continued involvement leaves the new management structure partly1:47unresolved, even as Gupta and Hageman prepared to take charge together.1:51Bumble's shares jumped almost 50% on Monday, October 12th, as takeover speculation1:56spread.1:57That lifted its stock market valuation above $580 million.2:01Those figures describe Monday's trading.2:04Before the definitive agreement was announced, Bumble reportedly reached a valuation2:07of more than $14 billion after listing on NASDAQ in 2021.2:12Its public market fortunes have since reversed sharply.2:15The new deal's transaction value and that historical stock market value measure,2:19different things.2:20The latest results show what the buyers would inherit.2:23Bumble released its second quarter figures on August 5, covering the three months2:27through June 30.2:28Revenue fell, and total paying users dropped 16.4% from a year earlier.2:33Second quarter revenue fell from about $248.2 million to about $210.5 million.2:39That's a 15.2% decline.2:41The shrinking paying user base adds another challenge for the incoming owners as2:45they try to rebuild the business.2:46Bumble recorded a net loss of $127.9 million in the quarter.2:51It also reported positive adjusted EBITDA of $72.9 million.2:56That adjusted earnings measure leaves out expenses included in the net loss3:00calculation.3:01The loss per share narrowed to 84 cents from $2.45 a year earlier.3:05Bumble still lost money overall that quarter.3:08Its positive adjusted earnings and smaller per-share loss can sit alongside that3:12result because they measure different parts of the business.3:14Across the first six months, revenue fell from about $495.3 million to about3:20$422.9 million.3:22That's a decline of roughly 14.6%, showing that the revenue squeeze extended across3:27the first half.3:28Bumble did make a net profit in the preceding quarter.3:31First quarter revenue was $212 million, down 14% from a year earlier.3:36Net earnings rose $165% to $53 million, while adjusted EBITDA rose3:4228% to $83 million.3:44For all of 2025, Bumble generated $966 million in revenue,3:50down 10%.3:52Its operations produced $250 million in cash.3:55Operating cash flow tracks cash moving through the business and differs from its net3:59earnings.4:00On the separate measure of full year pre-tax profit, 2023 was reportedly Bumble's4:05only profitable year since going public.4:07The profitable first quarter of 2026 covers a shorter period and uses a different4:12earnings measure.4:12Bumble now lets either person in a match start the conversation, including men in4:17heterosexual matches.4:18It announced that change on August 11th, 2026.4:22The app launched in 2014 with women first messaging as its signature feature.4:30An earlier change had already loosened that rule.4:33Opening moves launched on April 30th, 2024.4:37A woman could choose an opening question, and her match could answer it.4:40That let men send the first message in some circumstances, with the woman still4:44choosing the prompt.4:45The August change lets either participant initiate independently.4:49Bumble also expanded the response window to 72 hours from 24 hours.4:53One decision changes who can begin a conversation.4:56The other gives matches longer to respond.4:58Those changes form part of the business the new owners would take over.5:02They don't show why paying users fell.5:03Ithaca's next product decisions will determine how Bumble develops under private5:07ownership.5:08The deal is intended to take Bumble off NASDAQ and into private ownership.5:12Shareholder approval is in place, but regulatory clearances and other closing5:16requirements remain.5:17Nobody has announced a closing window.5:19Until those conditions are met, Wolf Heard remains the current chief executive, and5:24Gupta and Hegeman's appointments are planned for after closing.5:27Class A shareholders are due their $6.05 per share when the merger completes.The short
