MarineMax Stock (HZO) Jumps 46% to $52.12 After Blackstone $1.5B Buyout Deal

Bahar O.

MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE: HZO), the world's largest boat and yacht retailer, saw shares jump 46% on August 10, closing at $52.12, after the company confirmed it's being taken private.

Safe Harbor Marinas, backed by Blackstone Infrastructure, will pay $53 per share in cash, valuing the deal at roughly $1.5 billion. MarineMax's board approved the deal unanimously, though shareholder and regulatory approval are still needed before it closes. Blackstone has already secured the equity to fund the purchase, so financing isn't a risk factor. Both sides are targeting a close by the end of 2026.

With HZO trading near $52, just under the $53 offer, the stock's remaining moves are mostly about deal-completion odds rather than the underlying business.

The timing is notable: MarineMax was already improving operationally, with gross margin up 530 basis points to 35.7% last quarter on strength in superyacht services, marinas, and financing — even as new boat sales stayed soft. That mix — a shrinking top line but expanding profitability — is a classic private-equity target profile.

Founded in 1998 by Bill McGill Jr. through a roll-up of top Sea Ray dealerships, MarineMax has grown into the world's largest retailer of boats and yachts. Once the deal closes, it will delist from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) after nearly three decades as a public company.