GoPro registered a significant increase in its value following the large-scale investment by content creator Markiplier and the announcement of its foray into Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers.
Markiplier, whose stage name is Mark Fischbach, became the largest individual shareholder of GoPro, holding an 8.5% stake in the camera manufacturer. This percentage was valued at approximately US$ 20 million (equivalent to R$ 108 million) due to the strong appreciation of the company's shares over the last two days.
This announcement contributed to the boost in GoPro's stock, which rose on Monday (31) and maintained the upward trend on Tuesday (1). Since the close on Friday (28), the shares accumulated a growth of 173%, reaching US$ 1.64 (R$ 8.43) during Tuesday's trading session.
In conversation with Bloomberg, Fischbach justified his investment by claiming that the stock was undervalued. He stated: 'I saw the stock and where it was, and I thought: 'this seems undervalued'.' He added: 'It's something I've been preparing behind the scenes; I want the company to succeed.'
Although GoPro cameras are popular among content creators, this preference has not translated into good stock performance, as the company's shares fell by approximately 90% over the last five years, making it a recurring target for speculative investors.
However, Markiplier's entry attracted the interest of retail investors. A Reddit user pointed out that the move gained momentum because it came from a creator with 37 million subscribers who uses the company's products. Another investor commented: 'I bought some shares this morning because of the news.' He added that, although he did not expect GoPro to reach its peak highs, he considers a stable level between US$ 10 and US$ 11 to be healthy and sustainable.
A second factor driving the shares was the announcement that GoPro plans to merge with Starman Optical, a company specializing in photonics equipment. This transaction, valued at US$ 285 million (R$ 1.53 billion), should open new markets for GoPro, covering infrastructure for AI, defense, robotics, and the aerospace sector.
With the merger, Starman Optical's optical transceivers will integrate into GoPro's portfolio, expanding its presence in the AI infrastructure market, while the company maintains the production of its traditional action cameras and operates its subscription and cloud services.
Furthermore, GoPro intends to explore the government and defense segments, along with robotics and aerospace. GoPro states that the combination of the intellectual property, optics, and imaging technology capabilities of the two corporations will support this expansion.
GoPro shareholders will receive US$ 285 million (R$ 1.53 billion) at the end of the operation and will retain about 10% ownership in the company, which will remain listed on the stock exchange. GoPro's current debt, estimated at US$ 92 million (R$ 496 million), will also be settled as part of this agreement. The completion of the merger is subject to shareholder approval, regulatory authorizations, and the fulfillment of other conditions, with GoPro projecting to finalize the deal by the end of 2026.
Markiplier's bet comes at a time of restructuring for GoPro. The company reached a valuation of US$ 4 billion (R$ 21.6 billion) on its first day as a public company in 2014 but faced challenges in the stock market in subsequent years.
Despite the optimism of retail investors, some observe the rise with caution. Dimitri Semenikhin, a trader based in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) who recently increased his stake in Beyond Meat, criticized GoPro's valuation on X, stating that 'the fundamentals, however, do not support any of this.' He pointed out that the company has low cash, significant continuous losses, and high debt, despite sales still occurring.