Bumble shares soar after report dating firm in $1bn takeover talks

What the report says

Shares in Bumble jumped sharply on Monday after a Wall Street Journal report said the dating app company was in advanced talks to be acquired for about $1bn. BBC World News reported that technology holding company Ithaca could announce a deal as early as this week. Bumble is based in Texas and is one of the most widely downloaded dating apps, though its business has faced slower growth in a crowded market.

The share move lifted Bumble’s market value to more than $580m, still well below the company’s peak valuation of over $14bn after its 2021 Nasdaq listing. The BBC said it had contacted Bumble and Ithaca for comment. No agreement had been publicly confirmed in the article, and the reported talks remained subject to further developments.

Bumble was founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, who previously co-founded Tinder. The company originally set itself apart by letting only women start conversations, although it recently ended that rule, reflecting broader debate over how dating apps are trying to keep users engaged. In recent years, Bumble and other dating platforms have come under pressure as some younger users spend less time on apps and the sector faces weaker growth and workforce cuts. The reported takeover interest underscores ongoing consolidation pressures in online dating, where several major players have seen valuations fall from their pandemic-era highs.