New York, Feb 19, 2026, 11:45 AM EST — Regular session underway
- eBay shares climbed after the company turned heads with a Depop acquisition and issued an outlook that topped forecasts.
- The company bumped up its dividend and added to its buyback authorization.
- Eyes are on management’s call later today, where traders hope to hear more about the deal and what demand might look like in 2026.
eBay shares rose Thursday, gaining 4.6% to $85.99 by late morning, after the company announced a $1.2 billion cash acquisition of fashion resale platform Depop and pointed to a bullish near-term forecast.
Investors are zeroing in on the resale and “recommerce” space, betting on who wins as consumers chase deals and platforms battle for Gen Z loyalty. eBay’s latest guidance came in ahead of Wall Street’s targets, signaling it can deliver growth and still hand cash back to shareholders. (Reuters)
eBay plans to keep Depop’s name and branding in place after the deal wraps up, which is expected sometime in the second quarter, pending necessary approvals. “Depop has built a trusted, social-forward marketplace,” said Chief Executive Jamie Iannone. Depop CEO Peter Semple described the acquisition as “a testament” to the platform’s recent growth. (eBay Investors)
eBay posted fourth-quarter revenue of $3.0 billion late Wednesday, marking a 15% rise. Gross merchandise volume climbed 10% to $21.2 billion. The company boosted its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share and cleared a fresh $2.0 billion for its stock buyback plan. (eBay Investors)
Etsy jumped 9.7% to $48.32 after announcing the Depop sale. The company said it’s putting the cash toward general corporate purposes, more share buybacks, and its core marketplace. (Etsy, Inc.)
Depop gives eBay a direct line to mobile-savvy shoppers, just as bigger marketplaces look to carve out a bigger role in secondhand apparel. By the end of 2025, Depop counted 7 million active buyers—almost 90% of them under 34—and over 3 million active sellers, according to both companies. (AP News)
Following the earnings release and news of the deal, a few analysts wasted no time. Goldman Sachs bumped up eBay to “Neutral” from “Sell” and raised its price target to $88, Investing.com reported. (Investing)
Still, the upside isn’t without catches. Depop stands alone as a brand with its own vibe; eBay faces the tricky task of scaling it up while keeping users loyal and the offer clear. There’s also regulatory scrutiny to factor in, which could drag out the process. And a weaker consumer climate threatens discretionary segments.
At this point, traders want to see if eBay holds onto its early gains and if leadership can point to Depop as a real growth factor—without squeezing margins. That’ll come into focus on eBay’s conference call later Thursday. Etsy reports Friday, giving investors another data point on what’s happening in online marketplaces.
