Bumble Inc. agrees $1.3 billion sale to Ithaca Holdings

Bumble Inc. (BMBL) said Tuesday it has agreed to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings for $6.05 a share in cash. The Austin-based dating-app provider said the deal values it at $1.3 billion.

Bumble sold shares at $43 in its February 2021 initial public offering. The cash price for the sale to Ithaca is 86% below that.

Bumble was still shrinking in the last quarter it reported. In the three months ended June 30, revenue fell 15.2% from a year earlier, to $210.5 million. Paying users fell 16.4%, to 3.2 million.

The company said the $6.05 sale price is about a 138% premium to Friday's close of $2.54, the last close before The Wall Street Journal reported that Bumble was in advanced talks to go private, with Ithaca as the buyer. Bumble's shares rose 50% on Monday, to $3.80, after that report.

By 9:49 a.m. Eastern time on Tuesday the shares traded at $5.96, up 57% on the day. Volume reached 52 million shares, about 15 times the average daily volume.

Public shareholders do not get a vote in Bumble's sale to Ithaca. If it closes, they are to be paid the $6.05 in cash, and Bumble will operate as a private company. They will receive an information statement, and the deal cannot close until 20 days after it is mailed.

The sale was recommended by an independent special committee and the board approved it unanimously. Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble's founder and chief executive, withdrew from the discussion and the vote.

"The Special Committee was formed to conduct an independent review of strategic alternatives to maximize value for our public and unaffiliated shareholders," said Ann Mather, chair of both the board and special committee. "Supported by independent legal and financial advisors, the Committee thoroughly evaluated all available paths and determined that this transaction with Ithaca represents the best outcome for our shareholders."

The agreement was signed Monday, after which affiliates of Blackstone Inc. – whose funds bought a majority stake in the business before the 2021 listing – and affiliates of Wolfe Herd approved the sale by written consent.

As of February 27, 2026, Wolfe Herd and Blackstone's affiliates together held about 86.5% of the combined voting power. As such, Bumble said their written consent is the shareholder approval the deal requires.

Founder not cashing-out

Wolfe Herd is not taking the cash for the shares she is rolling into the deal. Beehive Holdings III, LP, an entity affiliated with her, agreed to contribute Class A shares to a subsidiary of Ithaca in exchange for equity.

"As Bumble's Founder, my belief in this company and its potential to positively impact people around the world has never been stronger," she said. "That is why I will remain actively involved with Bumble."

She is chief executive now. At closing, Ithaca's co-founders and co-chief executives, Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman, are to become co-chief executives of Bumble and partner closely with her.

Gupta is a partner at Sequoia Capital and was chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Instacart. Hegeman was chief revenue officer at Meta.

The Journal reported Monday that Ithaca was founded recently, and that Bumble would be one of its first major moves. Bumble expects to remain based in Austin.

What still has to happen

The agreement is signed, but it has not closed. Closing still requires the U.S. antitrust waiting period to expire or be terminated, along with certain other government approvals. Either side may terminate the agreement if the merger has not closed by July 12, 2027.

Ithaca cannot walk away for lack of financing. Greenoaks Prime Radiant LP, a fund of the San Francisco firm Greenoaks Capital Partners, agreed Monday to provide the equity. Ithaca must deposit a $102 million breakup fee in escrow by October 19, payable to Bumble if the buyer fails to close when the agreement requires it.