GoPro Surges Over 34% Following Starman Optical Merger and Markiplier Stake; Coherent and Lumentum Also Rise
GoPro (NASDAQ:GPRO) surged over 34%, extending a significant upward trend following its announced merger with privately held optical transceiver company Starman Optical. The deal values GoPro shareholders at $1.14 per share in cash, while they retain about 10% of the combined entity's shares and eliminate roughly $92 million in debt. CEO Nicholas Woodman highlighted that this move positions GoPro as a leader in imaging and optical solutions for AI datacenters alongside defense and aerospace markets. The merger has drawn attention due to an unexpected stake from content creator Markiplier (Mark Fischbach), who became the company's largest individual shareholder, adding meme-driven investor interest. In related sectors, Coherent (NYSE:COHR) rose 7% as it reported strong datacenter revenue growth and Lumentum Holdings (NASDAQ:LITE) gained 3%. These gains reflect growing demand in optical-photonics technology tied to AI infrastructure. Despite the sector's strength, broader indices like SPY fell slightly while QQQ remained flat. The GoPro deal is expected to close by year-end pending regulatory approvals.
Topics: Coherent GoPro Lumentum optical-photonics stocks Starman Optical merger