Eventbrite Stock Surges 78% on $500 Million Take-Private Deal
Italian tech acquirer Bending Spoons to purchase the ticketing platform in an all-cash deal, paying a significant 82% premium.
Eventbrite (NYSE: EB) shares surged nearly 78% in pre-market trading Tuesday after the online ticketing platform agreed to be acquired by the Italian technology firm Bending Spoons in a deal valued at approximately $500 million.
The all-cash transaction will see Bending Spoons acquire all outstanding shares of Eventbrite for $4.50 each. According to the official company announcement, the price represents an 82% premium over Eventbrite's 60-day volume-weighted average share price as of the market close on December 1, 2025. Shares of Eventbrite jumped to around $4.42 in pre-market activity, trading just below the offer price.
The deal marks the latest and one of the most significant acquisitions for Milan-based Bending Spoons, which has built a reputation for acquiring well-known but often underperforming digital brands and aggressively optimizing them for profitability. Its portfolio includes prominent names such as the note-taking app Evernote, the live-streaming service StreamYard, and the file-sharing platform WeTransfer.
Bending Spoons' strategy typically involves deep operational restructuring, centralizing technology development, and shifting business models toward more robust subscription revenue. This history provides a clear playbook for Eventbrite's likely future as it transitions from a public entity to a private company under new ownership.
Eventbrite, a major player in the self-service ticketing market for live experiences, has navigated a challenging period following the pandemic's disruption of in-person events. Prior to the announcement, the company had a market capitalization of approximately $243 million, less than half the valuation offered by Bending Spoons. The company's stock had traded between a 52-week range of $1.81 and $4.12, making the $4.50-per-share offer a significant premium for shareholders.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by Eventbrite's Board of Directors and is expected to close in the first half of 2026. The completion of the deal remains subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by a majority of Eventbrite's stockholders and the receipt of necessary regulatory clearances.
Upon closing, Eventbrite will become a privately held company, and its Class A common stock will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move away from public markets will give Bending Spoons the flexibility to implement its strategic changes without the pressures of quarterly earnings reports. For Bending Spoons, the acquisition adds another high-profile, community-focused platform to its growing stable of digital assets, continuing its aggressive expansion as one of Europe's most valuable tech firms.
While details of the long-term operational plan for Eventbrite have not been released, the track record of its new owner suggests a period of significant transformation lies ahead for the ticketing company, its employees, and its millions of event creators and attendees.