GoPro announced a merger with Starman Optical on September 1, offering $1.14 per share cash plus 10% ownership in the combined company.
Reddit sentiment is sharply split: some see a runway to infinity above $1.60, while others warn buyers above $1.14 are overpaying.
GPRO ranked third in Tendie.bot ticker rankings with 18 posts, 210 comments, and a sentiment score of 0.23.
GoPro (
The Merger That Changed the Narrative
On September 1, GoPro and Starman Optical announced a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms, GoPro shareholders will receive $285 million in aggregate cash ($1.14 per share) and retain roughly 10% ownership of the post-merger company. The new entity will add a U.S. onshore optical transceiver business, positioning GoPro to expand into AI data centers, government, defense, and aerospace markets—while continuing to support its existing consumer products and subscription platform.
The news immediately reshaped how Reddit views GPRO. On r/Shortsqueeze, one user noted that GPRO and HTZ were making "surprising runs," adding that if GPRO breaks past $1.60, "it's just a runway to infinity." The post, which garnered 49 upvotes and 36 comments, captured the bullish sentiment among traders who see the merger as a catalyst for a massive short squeeze.
The Math Debate: $1.14 Floor or Trap?
Not everyone is convinced. On r/pennystocks, a post titled "Warning to all buying GoPro above $1.14 your going to get fleeced" argued that buying shares above the cash distribution price guarantees a "direct capital loss." The author calculated that to make a purchase above $1.14 profitable, the remaining 10% stake in the combined company must trade at a high enough market cap to recover the premium. "You are buying the bag right now," the post warned, earning 13 upvotes and 11 comments.
Another r/pennystocks user expressed confusion, noting that the stock appears undervalued given the buyout price, massive short interest, and the potential for a higher price adjustment. "If I understand this correctly, if the stock closes at or under $1.14 then that price is marked in, but it can go infinitely higher and be adjusted," they wrote. The post, titled "GoPro Confusion," received 13 upvotes and 10 comments, reflecting the uncertainty many retail investors feel about the deal's mechanics.
Sentiment and Engagement
GPRO ranked third in Tendie.bot's ticker rankings on September 2, with 18 posts, 210 comments, and 146 upvotes. The overall sentiment score was 0.23, reflecting the split between bullish and bearish takes. Subreddit-level sentiment varied: r/pennystocks averaged 0.78 sentiment, r/Shortsqueeze averaged 0.73, and r/ValueInvesting averaged 0.53—suggesting that the most optimistic voices came from penny stock and squeeze communities, while value investors were more measured.
On r/ValueInvesting, a post analyzing the merger details asked whether buying GPRO at $1.30 effectively returns "almost all my money back plus I keep my shares." The post, which linked to GoPro's official press release, received 18 upvotes and 21 comments, indicating that even value-oriented investors are trying to parse the deal's implications.
Meanwhile, on r/smallstreetbets, a user who made a small bet on GPRO asked the community for thoughts on the stock's recent moves. The post, titled "I'm doing my part," garnered 6 upvotes and 9 comments, reflecting the cautious but curious sentiment among smaller traders.
The Bottom Line
GoPro's merger with Starman Optical has turned GPRO into a battleground stock on Reddit. Bulls see a short squeeze opportunity and a potential runway above $1.60, while bears warn that buying above $1.14 is a losing trade. With the deal expected to close later this year, the debate is far from over—and retail investors are watching every move.
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