GameStop's Ryan Cohen Could Pocket A Staggering $35 Billion From New GME Stock Plan

Core Viewpoint - GameStop Corporation is gaining market attention again, driven by its evolving business strategy and leadership changes, particularly under CEO Ryan Cohen [1] Group 1: Leadership and Compensation - GameStop has diversified its business beyond video games, with growth in collectibles and trading cards, positively impacting financial performance [2] - CEO Ryan Cohen, who holds a 9% stake in the company, has been pivotal in increasing interest in GameStop since his involvement began in August 2020 [3] - A new compensation plan for Cohen has been announced, which includes stock options that will vest based on achieving specific market capitalization and EBITDA milestones [4][5] - The compensation plan could potentially reward Cohen with stock options to purchase 171,537,327 shares at a price of $20.66, contingent on meeting defined performance targets [5][6] Group 2: Financial Performance - Since Cohen joined the Board, GameStop's market capitalization has surged from $1.3 billion to $9.3 billion, reflecting a 615% increase [6] - The company has transitioned from a net loss of $381.3 million in fiscal 2021 to a net income of $421.8 million over the last four fiscal quarters, indicating significant financial improvement [6] Group 3: Store Closures - GameStop is closing hundreds of stores as part of its turnaround strategy, with reports indicating 590 U.S. stores were closed in the last fiscal year [8] - An additional significant number of store closures is expected during the 2025 fiscal year, which ends on January 31, 2026 [8] - As of January 2026, 223 stores have been confirmed closed, with notifications sent to customers regarding the closures [9][10] Group 4: Stock Performance - GameStop's stock has seen a 4.7% increase to $21.63 recently, although it remains down 35.2% over the past year [11]