GoPro shares were trading at $1.38 on Friday, down 0.71%, as a 120% monthly rally linked to Markiplier's investment and a short squeeze began to consolidate. An August 31 Schedule 13G filing disclosed that YouTube creator Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach owned 13.5 million Class A shares, or an 8.5% passive stake, making him GoPro's largest individual shareholder. GoPro announced a definitive $285 million merger with Starman Optical on September 1, 2026. The transaction would pay stockholders $1.14 per share in cash, leave them with a 10% stake in the combined optical-photonics enterprise and retire $92 million of debt at closing. GoPro also disclosed on September 8 that it issued Yorkville a $20 million convertible debenture under a $50 million financing arrangement. Fischbach has said he would vote against the merger and worries GoPro could move away from cameras, although founder and CEO Nick Woodman held about 62% of the voting power as of May. GoPro says cameras remain part of its investment plans.