Bumble shares jump 50% on reported $1 billion buyout talks

what happened

Bumble Inc. (BMBL) stock climbed more than 50% on Monday after reports that the dating-app operator was negotiating a take-private transaction valued at approximately $1 billion. Stocktwits reported that the prospective buyer is Ithaca Holdings, a newly established firm run by two Silicon Valley executives. The Wall Street Journal cited people familiar with the situation. If discussions continue on their current track, the transaction could close as early as this week. Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd is expected to stay involved and contribute at least some of her existing stake to the deal.

Ithaca says its mission is to apply frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, to improve people’s lives. The company was founded by Ravi Gupta, a Sequoia Capital partner and former chief financial officer of Instacart, together with John Hegeman, Meta’s former chief revenue officer. The WSJ said Bumble would be among Ithaca’s first major investments as the firm works to bring advanced technology to companies in its portfolio. Shares of rival Match Group (MTCH), the parent of Tinder, rose 1%.

Wolfe Herd launched Bumble in 2014 after co-founding Tinder, which belongs to Match Group, and built the service around women making the first move in conversations. Bumble’s market capitalization exceeded $14 billion following its 2021 initial public offering. Wolfe Herd returned as CEO in 2025, and the company reduced its workforce by roughly 30% several months later. By Friday’s close, the stock had lost about 90% from its IPO-era high, leaving Bumble valued at around $335 million.

Bumble’s second-quarter results, covering the period ended June 30, showed further weakness in revenue. Total sales declined 15.2% year over year to $210.5 million, while Bumble App revenue dropped 14.7% to $171.7 million. The number of paying customers fell 16.4% to approximately 3.2 million, although average revenue per paying user increased 1.2% to $21.96. The company recorded a $127.9 million net loss, including a $169.3 million impairment charge. Bumble reported annual net losses in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025; the biggest losses in 2024 and 2025 were connected to impairment charges. Stocktwits said retail sentiment toward BMBL shifted from bearish to bullish during the past 24 hours, while message activity moved from normal to high. One user argued that the shares could rise further once the transaction is confirmed. Before Monday’s rally, the stock was lower year to date.

why it matters

The reported transaction would revalue Bumble against a backdrop of falling revenue, fewer paying users and repeated annual losses. The move in Match shares reflects the news’s relevance for the dating-app sector.

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