Gen Digital explores possible GoDaddy takeover

Gen Digital (GEN), the company behind Norton antivirus, has approached GoDaddy (GDDY) regarding a potential takeover. The contact is described as an initial approach, with discussions at an early stage and no certainty that they will lead to a transaction. Reports on Sept. 24, 2026 frame the situation as exploratory rather than a finalized deal.

Some coverage cites a possible bid valued at about $12 billion, while other reports state that no financial terms have been disclosed. This discrepancy highlights that details of any prospective offer remain fluid and unconfirmed. No timeline for further negotiations has been set out in the reports.

The prospect of a takeover triggered an immediate market response. GoDaddy shares jumped about 10–11% after the news surfaced, reflecting investor optimism about the potential acquisition. Trading in GoDaddy stock was briefly halted for volatility amid the sharp move.

In contrast, Gen Digital’s shares fell roughly 7% on the reports. The divergent moves suggest investors were revaluing each company’s prospects under a possible transaction. At the time of the news, GoDaddy’s market value stood at about $12.2 billion, while Gen Digital’s was about $15.7 billion.

GoDaddy is a major player in the domain registration and web services market. The company serves more than 20 million customers globally and manages roughly 81 million domains. These figures underscore the size of the business Gen Digital is evaluating.

The combination of GoDaddy’s extensive customer base and domain portfolio with Gen Digital’s security-focused offerings would represent a large-scale transaction by market value. However, with negotiations still in early stages and reporting inconsistent on financial terms, the outcome of the approach remains uncertain.